


Keep On Loving You

by bea_goldstein



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Adorable Newt Scamander, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, Heartbreak, Long-Distance Relationship, Love Letters, Newtina is endgame, Newt’s parents are nice, POV Tina Goldstein, Protective Queenie Goldstein, The Scamanders love Tina, Tina dreams of Newt, Tina only loves Newt, newtina, photographers complicate everything
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2019-11-08 17:50:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 72,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17985845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bea_goldstein/pseuds/bea_goldstein
Summary: Since saying goodbye at the docks a few months ago, Newt Scamander and Porpentina Goldstein have been exchanging letters. Everything seemed to go perfectly until one day she found out that the man she had fallen in love with was engaged to someone else. Heartbroken, Tina decides that Mr. Scamander needs to be told a few things, so she decides to send him a farewell letter letting him know what she thinks of him.





	1. News from MACUSA

**Author's Note:**

> First attempt at writing fanfiction. I came up with this idea where Tina sends Newt an angry letter after reading that he is engaged to Leta. This mostly will be from Tina´s POV at the beginning and later on we will see Newt´s thoughts on the matter. The story will have a happy ending but this two need to go through a few angsty days before. 
> 
> I would like to thank Marie for all her advice and help with this story and Trini for being my beta (I'm not a native English speaker and all her edits helped me a lot).
> 
> I hope you like this story :)

The streets of New York looked quite empty for a Saturday morning as Tina Goldstein walks to the Woolworth Building, but that was probably due to the hot spring way currently making its path through the city. Due to the nice weather, Tina has decided to wear a short sleeve white blouse and a knee length navy blue skirt. She added a simple summer hat to protect her face from the bright sun rays. During days like this, most people run away from the city and search for refuge in the beautiful beaches of the East Coast something that Queenie had been able to persuaded her sister to do this weekend but unfortunately an urgent letter from MACUSA had arrived with the first rays of sunshine summoning all the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to an immediate meeting with President Picquery. 

Queenie was heartbroken when she heard the news, but her sister promised her that they could still go to the beach the following weekend if the weather remained this warm. She was disappointed about the last minute change of plans as well, since she would have liked to retell their beach adventures to a certain British gentleman.

Since saying goodbye at the docks a few months ago, Newt Scamander and herself have been exchanging letters. Sometimes the letters were short, just about their days and plans for the week. But, there were also some letters that were pages long, where he would talk non stop about his creatures and the development of his upcoming book. Her letters excitedly detailed everything she was able to tell him about the cases she was working on and how happy and truly grateful she was for being back in the investigative team. Some days, she would spend hours reading and re-reading his letters, absorbing every single detail, trying to picture him talking to her, his bright green eyes gazing at her, listening to his excited voice as he told her about his creatures. From his last letter, she knew that the release party for his book was held this week, but she hadn’t heard from him since last Wednesday, and she was still little insecure about their new undefined relationship that she did not want to send him an additional letter commenting in his lack of response like many young females did this days. 

Tina entered the Woolworth Building as every morning and walked straight to the elevators.

“You know Goldstein, now that you are back on the team, you should really tell the big bosses to stop organizing meetings this early on Saturdays!” Red told her as the elevator made its way to the DMLE, “Most of your colleagues are all grumpy and annoyed for being summoned today and are being particularly unfriendly. But you on the other hand, you look all cheerful and happy today. Could that Brit fella from last year have something to do with it?”

That comment called Tina´s attention, “I don’t know what you are talking about” she replied defensively. 

“Oh! Come on Goldstein! The whole building know that you two have been exchanging love letters. I think even the No-Majs know it. You see a few months ago, all international correspondence that arrived into MACUSA was submitted for testing and proofreading.” Tina did remember that particular regulation, that was one of the reasons why she had asked Newt to send all letters to her apartment but not before receiving one or two letters in her desk. What did those letters say? She could not remember but it could not have been something that could be considered improper, right? After all those were the first days of their friendship, nothing too revealing was shared.

“Anyway, even when the readers were sworn to secrecy, you know how men love to talk even more than you girls” he then lowered his voice before continuing, “I am not in liberty to say who he was, because he is currently being put in time out for his transgression, but he might have let it slip that a certain young lady in the investigative team was receiving pretty Shakespearean love letters from across the pond. You do not need to be too smart to guess who that could have been Goldstein. So, as I was saying, how is your new Brit friend these days?” he finished with a smirk.

“Are you always this nice, or is it just with me?” Tina replied exiting the elevator and walking to the meeting room where some of her colleagues were already waiting for Madam Picquery. The conference room at the DMLE was big and spacious, its walls were covered in an elegant royal blue color and had magical designs in gold swaying gently across the walls of the room. There was a long pine wood table placed in the middle of the room with matching chairs, each one fitting to the somber, yet beautifully dark mood in the office. She walked to one side of the room and sat down on an available chair. A few minutes passed before Madam Picquery entered the room followed by the real Mr. Graves, who had been found alive locked in a cellar built under his residence, and a young man a few years older than her, but that she did not recognize.

“Good morning Aurors, please take your seats, this meeting should begin promptly,” everyone stopped their small talk and followed accordingly. “First I would like to thank you all for being here on a Saturday morning, I know most of you take this day to spend time with your families, so I really appreciate your dedication.” She then changed her tone of voice before continuing “I received a confidential owl from the British Ministry of Magic this week requesting we initiate the process for transferring Mr. Grindelwald back to Europe, so they can judge him for his multiple crimes against the Wizarding World. Let's say it was more of a nicely phrased order than a request but we have agreed to their terms and Mr. Grindelwald will soon be transferred in the following weeks back to England. I am putting together a special team to liaise with the Brits.” 

Many men start offering themselves for this task before Madam Picquery called for silence, raising a hand as everyone calmed. “Please everyone, remain silent as there are a few more announcements I would like to make. Firstly, I would like to welcome Mr. Graves back. I am happy to inform you all that he is now fully recovered and will start back in DMLE next Monday.” Everyone in the room suddenly stood up to show their support for the man that had spent many weeks captive, but that have been able to remain strong.

“And lastly, but no less important, I would like to introduce you all to Mr. Achilles Tolliver,” the young man who had been sitting quietly in a corner suddenly stood up and walked to stand next to President Picquery, “he has just been transferred from our field office in California. Mr. Tolliver has many years of experience as an Auror and will be one of the leads for future cases.” This statement was not received fondly by many senior members of the team, “I expect everyone to make him feel welcome. Now, we will meet back here Monday morning at 9 o'clock to re-assign some cases and give priority to others that have been left forgotten. Everyone is free to leave and enjoy your weekend. Please keep in mind that we have a few complicated months coming ahead of us!” with that last sentence she departed from the room first, and then everyone else started following, some behind her and others making their way to the elevator. 

Tina was one of the last ones who remained there. She wanted to personally welcome Mr. Graves back as he had been her mentor for many years when she first started in the department and always encouraged her when her colleagues made bitter remarks about her being a woman. She walked towards the man who was still sitting in the same place reading over some paperwork, “Excuse me Mr. Graves?” She said waiting for him to look at her. 

“Oh, good morning Tina! How have you been? I heard congratulations are in order after your involvement in capturing Mr. Grindelwald. I would not say I am surprised, I always knew you were quite talented Goldstein, you just need to have a little more confidence in yourself.”

“Thank you sir, that is really kind of you” she said a little embarrassed. She still was not used to people complimenting her, but since the story had spread about her and Newt’s assistance in capturing Grindelwald, some people in MACUSA would often stop her to made polite conversation. Just then the new auror, (Mr. Tolliver was it?), walked straight to them. 

“What can I do for you Goldstein? I think a young lady like you must have better things to do on a Saturday morning." he said winking cheekly at her casually. 

“I just wanted to know how you were feeling and to welcome you back to the team. We were all really concerned about you.” Tina said a little shyly. Just then, Achilles Tolliver reached over to them and added with a smooth voice and an accentuated Californian accent.

“The lady is right Mr. Graves, you are one of the greatest Department Heads MACUSA has had in years. We were all really glad back in California to hear that you were okay.” 

Now that he was at a near distance, Tina could take a better look of Mr. Achilles Tolliver. He was a few inches taller than her, with broad shoulders, and perfectly combed dark silk raven black hair. His masculine and strong features were highlighted by his slightly tanned skin and light beard. She could definitely tell he was an auror by his strong built, but also by the small scar showing off at his temple. He wore a smug smirk on his face and an air of confidence, but his boyish smile made him look younger and carefree. Tina thought that he was definitely good looking. 

“Ah Mr. Tolliver, you are very kind. How did you enjoy your first official meeting in the Auror Department?” Percival Graves asked him.

“It was quite interesting, I think I will enjoy working here.” Tina could tell that Achilles Tolliver was a very confident man, with a strong presence. “I have a few questions I would like to discuss with you, is it alright if I arrange a meeting with your secretary?” he asked, looking at Tina. She immediately felt offended by his comment and regretted any nice thoughts she previously had about her new colleague. Mr. Graves did not notice he was referring to Tina because he only replied:

“No need to disturb Anne, if you are available now I was going to review some paperwork that needs to be submitted urgently, but we can have a chat before I start”. Mr. Tolliver quickly agreed. Both men start walking to the elevator, leaving Tina by herself in the meeting room, when suddenly Graves turned around.

“Ms. Goldstein what are you still doing here? Please go home and enjoy the rest of your weekend.” he added before she could reply and disappeared. She stood there feeling angry about the dismissive way she was treated by both men, but decided to go back home and see if Queenie would like to go to Central Park for a late breakfast and maybe spend the day going for a walk.

Once she exited the building she saw a young couple buying an ice cream from a street vendor. They were both tall and lanky, probably around her age. They seemed a little awkward standing next to each other without touching, but she could tell they were definitely together by the way she smiled over at him and how he watched her longingly. The young couple reminded her of Newt and how she had not received a letter from him in two weeks. She kept telling herself that he was just busy with his book and would write back to her as soon as he could.

Throughout the past week, she kept having the same dream, she and Queenie were having breakfast together, still in their nightgowns, when suddenly a knock on the door announced a visitor. She would open expecting to see Mrs. Esposito, only to find Newt Scamander standing at her door with the most beautiful smile and adoring look on his face and he would be so incredibly happy to see her again. He would have given her his book, the first edition printed especially for her. After that, they would go walking around the city where they talked and laughed until the rainy skies of New York would interrupt them, but instead of looking for refuge from the rain, Newt would caress her cheek lovingly and kiss her under the rain. Remembering her dream gave Tina hope that possibly, a new letter could be waiting for her. So she hurriedly walked to a deserted alley and disapparated back home.


	2. From the Bottom of My Broken Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Goldstein sisters spent a nice Saturday together but their happy day is ruined when Tina receives some unexpected news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of Katherine Waterston's birthday and because she gives live to our lovely Tina, I've decided to posted chapter 2 today as well. I will be posting a new chapter every Sunday :)
> 
> Once more thanks to Marie and Trini for all their amazing help! :)

Tina walked inside her apartment and saw Queenie sitting at their table with an empty plate of breakfast and half drunk cup of coffee. “Hey Teenie! How was work? Any important news?” she asked her voice slightly nervous. Tina could tell that she had been reading a magazine and was currently trying to hide it. She wore a light pink summer dress paired with matching t-strap heeled shoes. 

“It was okay I guess. Lots of Grindelwald business and also, Mr. Graves is fully recovered and will start on Monday.” Tina remarked, also remembering their newest colleague and his wrong assumption about her. “Have we received the mail already?”

“Mmm… no, no yet…” Her sister answered thoughtfully

“Then where did you get that magazine from?” Tina asked her sister. “Queenie, if the mail arrived and there is nothing for me that is fine I understand he might be busy and has no time to write to me right now”. Tina reassured her calmly.

Queenie mumbled something that resembled something that sounded like “idiotic liar’ but Tina was not sure, not able to make it out clearly. “Queenie is everything okay?”

“Yes! Yes of course! Why wouldn’t it be?” Queenie exclaimed almost desperately. Suddenly she seemed to catch something in her sister’s mind and added, “Who is Achilles Tolliver and why do we hate him?”

“What?”. Tina asked, startled by the sudden change of topic. 

“Achilles Tolliver. You were just thinking about him and calling him an idiot”

“He is the new auror that will be joining the department on Monday. He seemed rather nice until he called me Graves’ secretary”

“He did not!” Queenie gasped. 

“Yes he did, but let's not waste time talking about him right now it’s giving me a headache. I am done for the day and I was thinking maybe we could go to have brunch at that nice place you like so much and spend the day in Central Park. Unless you have anything else planned?”

“That is an extraordinary idea, why don't you let me help you pick something out to wear.” Queenie said, grabbing Tina by the arm and walking her towards their shared bedroom. 

“What is wrong with what I am wearing now?” Tina looked down at the ensemble she had put on earlier. “I’m even wearing a skirt” she complained as Queenie pulled a nice light yellow summer dress from her closet and passed it to her.

“Really Teenie? We are going to have a girls day out and enjoy it! We might even find some nice fellas willing to take us dancing later!” As soon as Queenie mentioned that, Tina immediately thought about Newt. and how awkward he will be at dancing. It was almost scary how Queenie’s entire semblance changed abruptly with one thought. “You know something Teenie, you might want to consider… “ Queenie looked into her older sister’s large hopeful eyes and knew she could not complete that sentence “... consider… consider… maybe getting a new swimsuit if we are going to the beach next weekend…” Queenie suggested nervously as Tina changed into her yellow dress. She put a cream coloured hat on her head and turned to reveal herself to Queenie, who just smiled in agreement. “We are going to have a wonderful day Teenie!” Tina smiled at her sister and both Goldstein girls left their modest apartment and exited through the building’s front door.   
\----------

Tina and Queenie actually had a lovely day in the city. They started by having brunch at a new posh café where the waiter flirted with both sisters shamelessly which for some reason made Queenie keep trying to set her sister up with him until she “politely” asked her to stop. They ate eggs benedicts, fruit salads and orange juice while enjoying a great conversation and Queenie updated her on the office gossip.

After leaving the café they went to Central Park where they spent the rest of the day walking around and enjoying the nice weather in each other’s company. A little after 4 p.m. they left the park and upon Queenie’s request went to Macy’s where they spent a couple of hours looking for new swimsuits for their little trip to the beach next week. They usually avoided spending money in things like this because it was tight and Queenie was an incredible seamstress, but they both agreed that they could purchase something nice every once in a while. 

Regardless, Tina could tell that there was something bothering Queenie. There were a few times during the day, when her sister would suddenly fall silent and a murderous look would spread across her beautiful features, a look she only remembered ever seeing once when an Ilvermorny boy made some nasty comments about Tina. Whenever she wanted to ask her about it the look would disappear just as quick as it had appeared.

The weather was nice and a bit cooler when they exited the store, so they decided to head back home. Once they were close, Queenie suggested having a little beauty ritual before going to bed. Tina was not particularly girly but she agreed only for the sake of seeing her little sister jump of happiness and started planning everything they could need. “We might need to make a quick stop at the epicerie for some supplies. I found some new homemade recipes that are meant to be amazing.” Once in the store, Queenie picked out a few ingredients and they walked back to the apartment. They changed into their nightgowns and started setting up in the living room. Queenie made some hot cocoa and quickly cast a spell to cool it, she also prepared some snacks and set up some pastries in a platter. 

The pastries reminded Tina of a topic she wanted to talk to her sister about for a while “Hey Queenie, can I asked you something? Have you heard anything about Mr. Kowalski?” she asked her sister casually as she smeared some weird grey paste in her face. 

“I heard he opened his bakery and that it is quite successful actually. Sold out almost every day. His pastries are quite innovative, they came in different forms and shapes. Why do you ask?” Queenie replied before applying the same grey paste to her face. 

“Well, I have noticed that lately there seems to be an awful amount of pastries in the house and I can tell you did not bake them. So I was thinking maybe… there might be something you wanted to tell me…” They both felt silent for a while until Queenie spoke quietly

“I might have visited his bakery a few times. You see, the first time was out of curiosity. I just wanted to know if he was doing okay. I was just going to peek from outside but then I saw his pastries Teenie, they resemble all the magical creatures we met last year! There was no way he could have just made that up, so I walked into the store and once he saw me he stared at me like he knew me from somewhere. He smiled at me like he recognized me but then I got scared and ran away. One week later I was walking back home but I found myself walking by his bakery again, and it started raining so I was about to disapparate back home when he walked outside and invited me in. It took him a few minutes to remembered some things. He remembered my name and yours, Teen. He remembered a few things, and I told him I couldn't explain anything to him but he just asked to see me again… and we have been meeting for lunch or strolls around his neighborhood for the past month. I swear I was going to tell you, but I just didn't know how and I didn’t want to get you into trouble with MACUSA. You just got your job back and, and…” Queenie stopped to compose herself. She was sniffling by now.

Tina was a little disappointed but she couldn’t be mad at her sister. Last year, she saw the way Queenie will looked at Mr. Jacob Kowalski, and how he would look at her. “Queenie it’s okay, why are you crying?” she asked gently, placing a comforting hand on her back. 

“Because you are mad at me”

“Look at me! Do you really think I am mad? I am a little disappointed that you didn’t tell me once you found out he had his memories back but, I understand you were scared and that you might have strong feelings for him, but Queenie you need to be very careful about this. Remember he is still a no-maj and if someone finds out about this, they will throw you into jail, or worse! I don’t think I could bare to lose you too! I want you to be happy, but Queenie you are the only family I have left.” Tina was also getting a little emotional, tears slowly forming in her eyes. 

“I know Teen, that’s why I am trying really hard to stop seeing him, but I just can’t. I don’t know what to do, I’ve never felt this for anyone before and I don’t think I will ever meet anyone like him.” 

“Does he know you are a witch?”

“He hasn’t mentioned it but I am certain he remembers that part as well. Why don’t you come with me tomorrow,” Queenie suggested hopefully, large blue eyes meeting her brown ones. “I was supposed to visit him after breakfast. You meet him yourself, and make your own opinion about the situation.”

“I think that’s a good start, but Queenie you still need to think really carefully about this.” Tina told her little sister, “now why don’t we take this awful thing from our faces and head to bed?” Tina stood up and walked towards the kitchen and before Queenie could stop her, she found the reason to why her sister had been acting strange all afternoon. 

A magazine laid open on the top of their kitchen counter, the headline read in bright bold letters “FAMOUS AUTHOR NEWT SCAMANDER TO WED”. If that was not enough evidence to crumple her heart, the photo that accompanied it explained why her heart had shredded it into a million little pieces. In the photo through the blur of her tears, Tina could see a smiling and very familiar young man looking shyly at the camera, standing next to a beautiful young woman whose face Tina could not recognize but knew the name that belonged to her “Leta Lestrange”. Tina’s eyes were watery as she read through the article, where they congratulated the young couple, how it mentioned that they were childhood sweethearts and how all their friends and family were so delighted with this union and oh what a perfect couple they were. Tina hadn’t noticed she had started to crying silently until Queenie was standing next to her, wrapping her up in her arms, and Tina could sniff her flower scented perfume, it felt like home. 

“It’s okay Teenie, you have every right to be upset about this”

“He...he… but he said…” she couldn’t even form coherent sentences anymore, sorrow getting the nest of her. “I don’t understand… I thought he and I…” she hiccuped uselessly. Suddenly Queenie grabbed an envelope from the kitchen table. She could recognize the messy handwriting, and once she gave her the letter she could tell it was addressed to her.

“It arrived this morning along with the magazine. I was so happy once I saw it because I know you have been waiting for his reply, and I thought this letter was going to make you overjoyed, but then I saw the article and all I could think of was what he could possibly say in his letter and I just wanted to protect you. I’m sorry I kept this from you Teenie, but you are my sister and I do not want to see you getting hurt” Queenie then read something in her sister’s mind and promptly added, “No! I would never! I swear to you Teenie that I did not read that letter. The letter is addressed to you, if you want to read it I could sit with you or we could just destroyed it and forget about him. Let him marry that snobby girl.”

Tina thought about it for a minute. Did she really want to read how he bids her goodbye, or how he will thanked her for listening to him during all this months, and wished her a happy life. She knew that whatever was written in that parchment was going to finish breaking her heart, maybe forever, but she needed to know. So next time a man waltzes in pretending to like her, deceiving her like this, lying to her face with complete disregard of her feelings, she would at least be able to spot him at once and avoid getting hurt again. “I actually do want to read it, could you please sit down with me Queenie?”

“Of course” they both sat on the floor and Tina ripped the envelope open, no need to cherish it, like she had done with all his other letters. She yanked the piece of parchment out and start reading it, Queenie reading next to her. The more she read, the angrier she got. She was not only angry at Newt Scamander, she was also angry at herself for believing the lies of a man she barely knew. How could she have let herself fall in love with a man that clearly did not appreciate her enough to tell her that he was marrying someone else and that Tina was only his side distraction? What was he hoping to achieve? Was he hoping she will bedded him when he ultimately came back to America? Or was he hoping she could be a source of fun during his travels around the country? A bar story for his friends after many cups of whiskey? She crumpled the letter and threw it to the floor.

“I don’t understand” Queenie said after finishing reading the letter

“What is it that you do not understand? He must believe I am an idiot, some stupid little girl who has no idea what’s really going on, and as he and his fiance are planning what is meant to be the social event of The Season, he is toying with me and my feelings to prove to himself and all his friends that he is manly enough to get any lady he wishes. But the nerve of this man! To keep promising to come back to give me a copy of his book but that it would just take a bit longer than expected. That he is thinking of me, about my smile. Why Queenie? Hasn't he done enough? Why does he have to keep saying all this things?...Making all these promises he doesn’t intend to keep?” Tina exclaimed in distress. 

“I don’t know Teenie. When we first met him he seemed really nice and sincere. He seem to care, and for a minute I thought that maybe, you had found what you’ve been looking for… I was sure he had feelings for you, but now…” 

Tina couldn’t help it any longer, she dropped to the floor and started crying heavily. All happiness she felt that day drained out of her, filling her with sorrow. Queenie sat next to her on the floor and tried to comfort her as best as she could. She remembered how she felt all those weeks when she had said goodbye to Jacob, her heart had broken a little, and even though she had only known Jacob for a few hours, it broke as if they knew each other for years. Tina and Newt had been exchanging letters for 6 months, they had developed what Queenie assumed to be a long distance relationship without the official titles. She had been sure that once Newt came back, he would have asked Tina her permission to officially court her. She had pictured them together many times but could never have guessed that the awkward young Magizoologist she once thought she knew could be a deceitful person. He sure had managed to fool the both of them.

Tina didn’t want to believe this to be true, but what otherproof did she need? She had known once she got to know him that he had strong feelings towards Ms. Lestrange, but she had believed, almost hoped those feelings were unrequited. Now it seems that the young French girl really did have a change of heart and accepted the love Newt was desperate to give to her. She could certainly understand why Newt would jump at the opportunity to be with Leta, she was a beautiful and refined young woman form a respected French wizarding family. She had been his first love and it seemed like she will also be his last and only. He had been in love with her for a very long time What she couldn’t understand was why Newt would encourage someone as innocent as her and give her false hope when he was still in love with someone else. Why couldn’t he’d been honest with her? Why had he allowed this to go on for so long? When was he planning to tell her that he was engaged? 

“Teenie? I think what we need right now is a long night’s rest. We can figure out what to do in the morning. What do you think?” Queenie suggested kindly, Tina merely nodded in agreement and together, hand in hand, they walked to their shared bedroom and got into bed. 

As far as Tina could tell, Queenie had fallen asleep rather quickly but she lay down awake in her bed. She tried closing her eyes but everytime she did, she would see a future that no longer belong to her. She would see herself walking down an aisle, dressed in a beautiful yet simple white dress. Newt standing at the end waiting for her. A beautiful cottage in the British countryside, small children running around and an older looking demiguise. Why did she keep thinking about him that way? He was going to marry someone else, and all she needed was to forget about him. And how on earth would she be able to do it? Newt Scamander had dug himself deep into her heart and she didn’t know how to make him go away. Suddenly an idea clicked as she spoke to herself quietly yet determined.

“You know what? I refuse to be one of those naive girls that cry themselves to sleep when they are wronged by a man. If Newt Scamander wants to keep playing the part of being an awkward, loveless, lonely man, he is going to need to find some other idiot to believe his lies.” Tina suddenly stood up and returned to their living room with something in her hands which she had grabbed from her bedside table.

“Teenie what are you doing?” Queenie asked her, yawning as she rose from her bed,following Tina to the kitchen. She found her sitting in the table with a piece of parchment and a quilt. 

“I am going to send Mr. Scamander a goodbye letter. I will thank him for his time and congratulate him for his upcoming marriage. And I will also let him know that I never… NEVER… want to hear from him again or see ever him again.” Tina grumbled as she started writing rapidly on the piece of paper. She asked Queenie if she minded if could she tear the page from the magazine to include it with her letter. Queenie only nodded, she did not want that thing in the house anyway. Tina finished writing and presented the letter to Queenie, who read it and happily nodded her agreement. 

“Wait! You’re missing something!” Queenie stopped her.

“What?”

“Mrs. Esposito said that during war time, girls would send their men love letters and drench them in their perfume, so they could remember them. Let’s show Mr. Newt Scamander what he would be missing” Queenie then grabbed the letter and her wand and pointed it to their bathroom, “Accio perfume”, five colorful bottles, followed by a dark blue one appeared next to Queenie, “Oops, I should have been more specific.” she grabbed the blue bottle and sprayed some of its content on the letter. The smell was smooth and gentle, it smelled of a mix of sandalwood, musk and vanilla, it was feminine and light, a present Queenie must have saved for almost a year to give to Tina. She will never admit it but she really did like the scent, which showed how much truly Queenie knew her. “Okay all done. Now you can send that and forget you ever met Mr. Newt Scamander.”

“That is exactly what I am planning to do.” Tina stated, closing the envelope and leaving the letter in the kitchen table, “I will send this first thing tomorrow morning” she said, going to the living room where their earlier mess still remained, “Now, why don’t you go back to sleep while I clean up a bit?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes”

“Okay, night Teenie” Queenie said hugging her sister in a tight embrace. “I love you”

“I love you too Queenie” 

Tina waited until she was left alone in the tiny living room before she started cleaning up and crying silently while doing so. Queenie was right, she will send that letter to England first thing in the morning and maybe start trying to forget she ever crossed paths with a certain Scamander.

Just like she had said earlier, Tina cried herself to sleep that night, but just before falling asleep she promised herself she would get over him and will never fall in love again.


	3. I’ve been trying to forget you but I can’t

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina sends her farewell to Newt and takes a decision that could put her job at MACUSA at risk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not have time to get this chapter "betated" and I apologize for any mistakes you might find while reading as I am not a native English speaker.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think :)

Tina woke up pretty early on Sunday morning, it was still dark outside and the streets were mostly quite. She had a horrible nightmare all night long, which didn’t allow her to rest properly. Her dreams were riddled with images of Newt telling her she wasn’t good enough, of him choosing Leta over her, of him not even remembering who she was. She felt a deep hole in her chest that prevented her from breathing and she wondered if this was what a broken heart felt like. She laid on her bed for a few minutes before remembering she had something important to do this morning. 

She settled for a similar ensemble to the one she had used for MACUSA the day before.She usually saved her few skirts for the weekends or even fewer dresses for special occasions. She paired the knee length navy blue skirt with a light blue blouse with some strange flowery pattern, and as always the most sensible shoes she could find in her closet, a pair of flat black shoes with a strap around her ankles. She grabbed one of Queenie tiny handbags and performed an enlargement spell big enough to conceal her wand and some change. She wasn’t particularly girly, so she didn’t owned any of this feminine accessories. 

Maybe that was her problem. Men usually looked for the pretty ladylike girls to marry, not the career driven, practical ones. Remembering Leta picture from yesterday’s magazine. She looked so beautiful and elegant in her sparkly dark dress. Her perfectly manicured hand stood out thanks to the big and fine engagement ring constantly on her finger. Said hand was resting comfortably on his fiancés right arm, almost caressing it. For some reason she felt like going back to her bed and start crying all over again. 

Trying to be as silent as possible so she wouldn’t wake Queenie, she exited their shared bedroom and went to the kitchen. She walked defeated toward the kitchen table and grabbed the letter she had written the night before and the torn page from the magazine. What would his reaction be? Would he even care? Tina you have to stopped this! she thought to herself, he’s marrying someone else and after sending this farewell you need to forget about him and move on with your life.

She put the letter inside her tiny bag and was ready to leave when she spotted a piece of paper that appear to be lying under the coffee table. She bend down to picked it up and realize it was Newt’s latest letter. She thought about it for a minute a decided to save the letter in her bag as well. Her intention was to send it back to him as well. With one last look around the tiny living room, she disapparated to the owl post.

Once she arrived, she entered the small office and asked for an international owl to London. The only gentleman behind the counter asked her if she would like an envelope or box for her parcel, to which she agreed and asked for the first. She folded both pieces of paper together, the letter and torn magazine page, and put them inside, the sweet scent of her perfume could still be smelt. She close the back and turned it to write the address she had memorized by heart. 

With one last look at it she gave it to the kind man and he examined it before giving her a price for it. Once she paid, he directed her towards the back where all the owls were. “Just pick any grey one, they are the only ones who can make the trip across the ocean.”

Tina entered the back room and saw 10 grey owls resting in little brick houses. She picked one and took her to the front window. She tied the letter to her little leg and sent her off. As she saw the owl fly away she starting thinking about what his reaction would be once he received the letter. Would he even care? Still with a a broken heart but with weight lifted from her she departed the post for her next destination. She had an other important business to attend to that morning. 

**************************************  
Tina peeked through the window and was surprised to find that despite being early, it was quite busy. People were forming in line waiting to be attended by a nice and smiling man behind the counter. She studied the scene inside for a few minutes, each customer made small talk with him. She couldn’t tell what they were talking about but it seem the typical polite conversation about children and daily activities. She studied the man for a couple more minutes before deciding to walk inside, just as an old woman bid farewell to the proprietor.

“I’ll be with you in a minute doll. Just have to take some croissants out of the oven” the baker said before walking to the back of the store. Tina took a few minutes to looked around the bakery. He had done an amazing job with the place, but what amazed her even more were the pastries artfully exposed on the glass cases. Tina studied the Dougal shaped pastries, frosted with some sugary white coat. Queenie had been right, it seemed that Mr. Jacob Kowalski had regained some of his memories.

“Quite stunning creature, right?” Jacob said suddenly standing beside her. He was dressed casually, with a beige button down shirt and a pair of dark brown slacks and a white apron covering his clothes. “Sometimes I wonder how I managed to come up with something so beautiful” Jacob said longingly. “What can I get for you this fine morning Miss?” He finally asked walking behind the counter.

“I would like to buy some pastries for myself and my sister. I want to surprise her with a special breakfast.” Tina said cheerfully, attempting to resemble one of those girls. “Could you maybe suggest something”

“That is quite alright, I believe my raspberry/blueberry muffins are a good option, but you might also want to get some of the freshly baked croissants, just out of the oven. They usually only last a few minutes, but it seems that today is your lucky day Miss…?”

“Tina, Tina Goldstein” as soon as she said her name, Jacobs face became thunderstruck, a flicker of memory and recognition goes through his face. “Tina? Is that really you?”

“Hello mr. Kowalski. I hope you are well” she said politely. 

“I can’t complain, as you see business is good and I’m in excellent health.” he said smiling, “What brings you here today. Would you like to buy some pastries, your sister loves the croissants.”

“Actually, I would like to speak with you, if you have a few minutes that is?” She asked apologetically.

“Of course, of course. Just let me tell Henry to keep an eye on the store” once more he walked to the back and return a few seconds later. The apron was gone and replaced by a matching waistcoat. He escorted her to a small table in the corner and set up two steaming cups of coffee accompanied with two warm croissants.

“Mr. Kowalski…” “Please call me Jacob”...”Jacob.. I would like to speak with you about my sister. She mentioned that she’s been visiting you, quite often in the past few weeks?” Tina didn’t need the confirmation, she already knew the truth. Jacob hesitated for a minute before saying… “You know for many weeks, I’ve been having this dreams. Dreams full of strange creatures, strange but magnificent creatures.I kept seeing the same three people, their faces were a bit blurry, but I could heard their voices.” after a short paused he continued, “When Queenie walked in that day, it was like a breeze of fresh air. As soon as I saw her, suddenly those dreams became real, she became real, you and Newt became real” Tina tensed her shoulders when his name was mention, but the baker didn’t notice or comment on it. 

“I think she is afraid to ask but I do remember a lot, even that thing I’m not supposed to know” he said lowering his voice. Tina processed this information for a minute, she looked at Jacob with her deep black eyes and studied the No-maj for a minute. His smile was warm and sincere, his sole presence gave her an aura of calmness she hadn’t felt in a while. She must have been silent for a while before the new yorker added, “I care deeply for your sister Tina, she lights up my day just with her smile. I know… i know your people has rules about people like me, but I would never do anything to harm you or Queenie.” he said the very last part looking straight into her eyes, his eyes full of honesty and determination. 

Tina lifted her coffee cup to her lips and took a big sip before replying to him, “I don’t know if you remember this or nor Mr. Kow… Jacob” she corrected herself, “but our parents died when we were pretty young and since then it’s always been Queenie and me. My sister is the most important thing in my life and she’ll always be. It’s true that MACUSA doesn’t allowed the wizarding world to interact with the no magical community, and as a Law Enforcement officer it’s my duty to ensure that this is complied” Jacob’s smile fell when he heard that, “but I also think that it is a stupid rule and I do care more about my sister’s happiness.”

They both fall silent for a few seconds before he spoke up again, “So… what are you trying to say is that… “

“That I might not be 100% sure about this but if spending time with you makes Queenie happy, then I’m not going to stop her.” she finished with a sincere smile, the one she usually only gave to Queenie. “So I was thinking maybe we could grab more of those croissants and go surprise my sister with breakfast.” 

“I’ll just go wrap some and let henry know he is in charge” he said standing up and walking to the back. Before disappearing he turned and added, “Tina.. thank you” he added before calling for his assistant. 

*********************************************************************  
It was close to 09:30 am when Tina and Jacob arrived at 679 West 24th Street. Tina quickly looked around before letting Jacob inside the building and walking up to the apartment.

“Teenie? Is that you?” Queenie called from inside their room “When I woke and didn’t see you I thought for a minute that you might… Oh.. Jacob! What are you doing here?” she said walking into the leaving room still wearing her matching pink robe and nightgown. 

“He will be joining us for breakfast. While we set everything up, would you mind to put something on ?” Tina said looking at her sister who immediately return into their bedroom when she realize what she was wearing and that they had company.

The three new yorkers had a lovely breakfast where Tina and Jacob, mostly Jacob, recounted the details of their early meeting. Queenie listen to them attentively but also kept her mind focused on their thoughts in case they missed any details. The sisters decided to solve some of the doubts he had regarding the Wizarding World, and explain to him all about Rappaport’s Law. He agreed with Tina that him and the younger Goldstein needed to be careful and keep their meetings secret for the time being. Once they finished breakfast, they moved to the living room where they kept talking for a few minutes before Jacob announced he had to go back and check on his bakery. Before departing, Queenie asked him if he wanted to join them for lunch, to which he agreed. He kissed Queenie in the cheek and gave Tina a head nod and wave before leaving the sister alone. 

“Oh Teenie!! Thank you, thank you!” Queenie jumped excitedly towards her sister before giving her a big hug and kissing her cheek. “But how…”

“I left early today to go to the owl post and while I was there I decided I wanted to speak with Jacob myself, so I went to his bakery and we had a nice chat. You are right, he is a nice fella, but as I said before you two need to be extra careful. Maybe you two could limit your outings to muggle places or to his neighborhood, but I’ll leave the details to you.” Tina could tell her sister was beaming with joy. She could not remember the last time she was her this happy. Maybe their relationship was forbidden, so what? What’s the worse MACUSA could do to her, take away her job again..

“I would never let that happen again Teenie, I’ll rather say that I hid this from you and that you didn’t know what I was doing.” Queenie having read her thoughts, “What you just did for me.. “ she didn’t know how to continue but Tina understood her sister better that anyone, so no words needed to be added.

“I know Queenie, I might not agree fully, but I just want you to be happy” At least one of us should be happy and fortunate in love, Tina thought to herself. She suddenly remember the letter that she still carried in her sister’s handbag. That letter she didn’t had the courage to send back to him, she had stared at it for the longest time before saving it. She didn’t know why no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t have ill feelings towards him, her heart didn’t want to listen while her brain screamed to store every thought of the magizoologist away and simply forget about him for good. 

“Teenie… I had no idea your feelings for him were that deep.” Queenie said putting her arm around her sister, “But hopefully that letter you sent will eventually help you to move on and stop thinking about him and one day when you do think about him, it will just a nice memory of someone you used to know.” Tina hoped for the blonde to be right, “So what should we do today?”

The Goldstein sisters spent the rest of the morning engaged in household chores and later they made a quick trip to the market to get some groceries for the week. While they were there, Tina saw how her sister bought a magazine and hid it in her purse. This seemed odd to her as the blonde with usually spent many pennies on gossip magazines and made no effort in hid this habit from her sister. Once they were done, the sisters walked back to their apartment to wait for their no-maj friend. 

Jacob arrived exactly at 1:00 p.m. and took the witches to a no-maj restaurant by the harbor. The view was beautiful and the food amazing and actually affordable. Jacob and Queenie were the ones who kept a casual conversation while Tina remain quiet for most part but always paying attention to them and reacting when needed. After they were finished they decided to walk down the harbour. Tina studied her companions for a long time, they way they smiled at each other, how their eyes sparkled when they looked at the other. She stayed a few steps behind them but they were so content walking hand in hand that they didn’t notice. Just a few minutes before sunset, when Jacob bought Queenie and gave it to her smiling, Tina realized that she had made the right decision by allowing her sister to have a relationship with him. Whatever consequences they had to faced later, they will, together. As they had done everything since kids.


	4. The universe and it’s funny ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina is determined to move on with her life but she will soon realize it is not as easy as she thought.

Tina woke up earlier than usual on an ordinary Monday morning, another restless night plagued by dreams and memories of that one special British man. She had waited for Queenie to fall asleep first before entering their bedroom, as she was sure that it would become another sleepless night where she cried herself to sleep. Like every other day. She didn’t like being this weak, but she couldn’t help it. Tina Goldstein had fallen in love with Newt Scamander and she had no idea what to do to mend her shattered heart. She had never felt this for any man before, she had of course gone on a few dates with different work colleagues, but they all seemed to be looking for a housewife and were quickly intimidated by Tina’s profession and passion for being an auror. She had always come home alone, the other men not even mentioning their dates with her. Tina would come home and find Queenie waiting for her. They would talk and comfort each other but Tina never felt attached to any of them. Not as much. 

Tina got ready for work before moving toward her sister’s bed to wake her up. She decided to let Queenie sleep for a few more minutes that morning as the blonde witch didn’t have to be at work as early as she did. Madam Picquery had mentioned during their last meeting that a briefing would take place that morning and she wanted to be prepared for it. 

********************************************

Tina walked into MACUSA a few minutes after 06:00 a.m. The auror offices were silent and empty as she walked towards her small office. The standard auror offices were small. Really small. They only held a desk, three chairs and some file cabinets. The walls were plain and painted in dark blue, and the lighting was dim. Tina walked toward her cabinets and pulled out some files before sitting behind her desk. She read through the files and took some notes to remember for the meeting. She was so concentrated in her task that she hadn’t heard the two men walking down the halls until Percival Graves and Achilles Tolliver peeked into her office, her head shooting up to look at them in surprise. 

“Goldstein? What are you doing here so early?”

“Morning Sir, I just wanted to catch up with some reading before the meeting” she said, completely ignoring Achilles. Tina knew that it was rude but that man had had the nerve to assume she was a secretary, not that there was anything wrong with being a secretary, but she was sick of men always doubting her abilities as an auror. 

“I like your thinking Tina. I wish more people would think of reading the reports we give them before meetings…” Graves was going to add something else but was interrupted by his companion’s loud feigned cough. “Oh, have you met Mr. Tolliver yet? He is our new recruit from the west coast.” the older auror added.

“I can’t say I have had the pleasure” Tina said sarcastically.

“Well then Achilles, let me introduce you to Miss Porpentina Goldstein, one of our youngest aurors and if I dare say the most promising one.” Graves introduced proudly. Just then an owl flew into her office and stopped next to Graves with a letter clearly intended for him. He grabbed the letter and after reading through it quickly, he added, “we will have to continue our tour of the premises later Achilles, I have some important business to attend to. I will see you two later.” he finished before disappearing through the door. Both aurors remained quiet for a minute before Achilles asked her with surprise etched in his voice. 

“You are an auror?” 

“I thought people from California learnt how to read before going to Ilvermorny.” Tina said, pointing at her door where it read in bold letters “PORPENTINA GOLDSTEIN - AUROR” she went back to reading but she noticed he was still standing inside her office. “Anything I could do for you Mr. Tolliver?” she added, somehow irritated by his presence.

“So, you’re not Percy’s secretary?” 

Was this man serious? Didn’t she just clarified that? Maybe he’s received one to many blows to his head and needs things to be repeated to him. 

“No Mr. Tolliver, I’m not his secretary. I joined the Auror Department straight after finishing school.” she clarified sternly without looking up at him, so she could not see the way he was studying her. He was ready to say something else, but was interrupted by a house elf. Apparently Madam Picquery wanted to speak with him before the meeting. And without another word, Achilles Tolliver left the office reluctantly and feeling like a complete idiot. He would have to apologize to the lady later. 

Tina kept herself busy while she waited for the meeting to begin. She was able to read through 8 case files and gather some interesting leads that she would like to follow later. She would have to get Graves permission for that though. Ten minutes before 08:00, the auror stood up from her desk and walked towards the meeting room at the end of the long and dark corridor, magical painting from past and present aurors were the only piece of decoration. When she entered the room, a few of her colleagues were already there, conversing with one another about their weekends and their families casually. Tina would normally get engaged in conversations with them but today she didn’t felt like talking to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. She saw Achilles Tolliver studying her from the corner, but when their eyes met for a brief second, he turned to the wizard standing next to him and started an animatley chat. She started reviewing her notes when one of her fellow aurors hollered out to her loudly.

“Hey Goldstein! Now that you’re all famous because of Grindelwald’s encapture, have you decided to suddenly become antisocial?” A few snickers came from the men next to him. Tina smiled at him politely but said nothing. Before the auror could add anything else, Madam Picquery walked into the room and started the meeting with a loud clear of her throat. 

The meeting was long, tedious, and she already knew much of the information provided. What was worse was the fact that Achilles Tolliver spend a great part of the meeting looking at her and she had no idea what to think or do about that. The president finished the meeting by reassigning all current case files to the head aurors and giving them instructions to choose who they wanted to work with and before sending everyone back to work, dismissing their questions with a wave of her hand, as she normally did. 

Tina spent the morning working on some pending reports she needed to get delivered regarding a case she worked on the month before, a young wizard who had had an incident in a grocery store. Luckily, only 3 no-majs had been obliviated and it took a few minutes the clean the mess the inexperienced young boy had caused without a wand. 

Tina was so immersed on her work that she hadn’t noticed one of her colleagues standing at her door. “Hello Goldstein, do you have a minute?” he asked tentatively. 

“Yes of course, please come in.” 

“I have an unconfirmed lead for a unregistered wand traffickers ring, but at this point anything could be a trap from Grindelwald’s followers. I heard you know a guy that could confirm if this information is actually true.” he said 

“Yes, Ray Sherbourne. He owns a bar in Upper Manhattan, it’s concealed behind a no-maj bar called “Lady Roseanne”, you just have to walk to the bar and order a Red Flaming Ruby, and they will lead you to his bar.” Tina replied “He can give you the information you need.”

“Thanks for the tip Goldstein, but what I meant was if you wanted to join in. Maybe go with Peters tonight and confirm the lead?” the auror asked her suggestively. 

“Oh!... mmmm… I’m actually working on a case about no-majs witnessing wandless magic right now, but thank you anyways, I really appreciate the offer.” 

“You are talking about the no-majs who saw the kid in the store right?” she merely nodded her head. “Well if you’re sure.” The auror paused and studied Tina for a moment with a frown before adding, “Goldstein, are you alright?”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” Tina blankly

“You just seem off today. You would usually jump up at the opportunity to work on a case like mine. You’ve been awfully quiet all morning and you look like you haven’t sleep in a while. Is everything alright?” he asked in concern. 

Tina was surprised to hear this. She had thought she was doing a good job at keeping her feelings hidden from the rest but it seemed that others could tell as well. She cleared her throat awkwardly “Yes, I am. I just had an exhausting weekend you see. You know my sister, she loves planning activities.” the young auror try to sound reasonable but she could tell it wasn’t convincing him. Whether he believed her or not, he just told her to take it easy before thanking her again for the contact,leaving her alone. 

She was able to finish her report and read some memos about Grindelwald’s many interrogations. Even when she had helped in his capture, she was still a junior too young to handle a case like this one, but she still got to be part of the team witnessing everything from outside while a senior member of the team did the talking. She wasn’t included in the team that would be transferring him back to England, but with current events in her personal life she was glad that she wasn’t. Her mind betrayed her once more and images of a certain magizoologist showed up in her mind, one after another. Images of when he had left the city a few months ago played in her head. The way his callous hand felt against her cheek, the softness of his voice when he promised to come back. A wave of sadness and emotion started to overflow her. She was so lost on her thoughts of him that she hadn’t noticed Achilles Tolliver standing in front of her. He had been trying to get her attention for a few seconds.

“Miss Goldstein?!” he exclaimed, raising his voice a bit more. That caught her attention and she turned her head to looked at him without saying anything. “I’m Achilles Tolliver, the new auror from California? We met this morning before the meeting...”

“Yes, I do know who you are Mr. Tolliver. I’m just wondering why you are here.” she said flatly.

“Well I just wanted to.. to… I wanted to…” he was having a hard time trying to put his words together and she was starting to get annoyed so she opened her mouth but before she could ask him to leave he said, “I just wanted to apologize for my awful behavior earlier and on Saturday. I shouldn't have assumed that you were a secretary because you are a woman. You see, in California there aren’t any female aurors and I was not expecting to find one here, specially one as young as you.” he said a little embarrassed before adding “So I would like to apologize to you and request the chance to start over, if that is agreeable with you”

Tina was a bit shocked, she hadn’t been expecting an apology from him. In fact she couldn’t remember a time when any of her fellow colleagues had apologized to her even when she deserved it. He seemed sincere and apologetic, she could tell that he actually meant it and was not apologizing because someone told him to. She remained silent for a few more seconds before saying,

“I can understand why you might have been confused when we first met Mr. Tolliver and I would like it very much if we could start over again.” 

“In that case please you may call me Achilles. Mr. Tolliver just reminds me of my father. May I call you Porpentina?” he asked her, in a hopeful voice. 

“Actually, no.” she made a small pause where the young man’s face fell slightly, “I prefer to be called Tina” she added with a small genuine smile, the first ones in three days.

Achilles smiled at her, his smile was cheeky and playful. It made him look younger than he probably was. “So Tina, I was wondering... Since I’m new to the city, if you’d be so kind to show me to a nice spot for lunch?” Tina was confused for a minute until she looked at her watched and realized it was almost 1 o’clock. 

“Well, I usually just grab something small for lunch… I was going to go to the….” she gestured the door of her office to show what direction it was at. “The hot dog cart a few blocks away to get one. I think the other aurors usually go to have lunch at a bar for lunch, a few blocks ahead of here. You could join them, it might be a lot better that a simple hot dog.” she suggested.

“Actually, I’ve been dying to try the famous New York hot dogs. I’ve heard they are amazing. Would you mind if I accompanied you?” 

Tina didn’t know how to answer to this. Did she really want company ? Maybe it would be nice to get to know their new colleague, someone she and her other colleagues might need to entrust their lives to. “No, I wouldn’t mind at all.” she eventually said. 

They walked a few blocks away from MACUSA, where Achilles told her a bit about his life back in California. He had been 6 years ahead of her at Ilvermorny and a Horned Serpent so maybe that was the reason why she had not met him before. He was very knowledgeable on no-majs as he had spent some time researching on them. They reached the cart and purchased two large hot dogs and drinks. Achilles payed for both of them even when Tina complained about it, he merely shrugged and said it was his way of apologizing to her. They sat on a bench close by while they ate and kept a nice conversation.

“Just between you and me, I think rappaport's law should be studied and changed. We are so behind in laws related to no-majs. Every country in Europe allows wizards and witches to marry no-majs, as long as they kept their identities secret. I’ve spent some time in Europe working with different offices during the war and have engaged myself in very pleasant conversations with many muggles, that’s how they call them in England. Muggles.” he repeated, testing the word with his american accent “What a strange word right?” he said laughing lightly. Tina cringed when she heard the very familiar word she had heard or read from a certain man many times before. Luckily for her, her companion couldn’t tell the change in her mood. “I apologize, I’ve been talking non-stop about myself. Please tell me about you, Tina. You have a sister working at MACUSA as well, is that right?”

“Yes, my sister Queenie….” she paused. “Wait how did you knew I have a sister?” she was curious now.

“Well… I have to admit that… since I am new, I’m still a little lost inside and out the building so I asked around where I could find a certain Miss. Goldstein and they kept asking me which Miss. Goldstein I had meant. Which obviously lead me to believe you have a sister.”

Tina smiled sweetly and started telling him a little about herself. She still wasn’t comfortable with sharing a lot, so she told him mostly what he could find out from her MACUSA employee file. He listened to her closely, he reacted to every single detail, and offered his condolences when he heard about her parents. They kept the light talk for a few more minutes before the Californian man asked her where he could buy a magical map and books with information of the city. She told him about about a tiny library a few blocks away that concealed all magical books in the back. They still had time before they had to go back, so Tina suggested to him she could show him where the bookstore was. He agreed and they both walked the few blocks to the store. 

Once they reached their destination Tina walked straight to the back until she reached an old looking door. An old man nodded at them before they followed a set of stairs hidden behind the door. They ascended two floors before they reached the magical store. It was colorful and mostly quiet, many books flying around. Some moving posters were hanging from the walls advertising the newest arrivals. They walked to the section holding books about the magical community in America and Tina recommended a few books about the magical community in New York. While he browsed through them, she walked through the library looking around, she reached the front of the store where she could see a nice display of books but couldn’t quite make out the name. The vibrant green color and bold golden letters called her attention so she walked towards the display to examine the book further. Once she reached it, the blood drained from her face almost in an instant. Was this some kind of cruel joke? She thought to herself. 

“FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM” read the title of the book, but what had really flooded her being with anguish and sadness was reading his name on the front cover, proudly shining against the sunlight “NEWT SCAMANDER”. She grabbed one of the books and caressed the letters in his name softly and melancholically. She concentrated her attention in the title and realized it was the one she had suggested to him at the docks. A small tear smoothly cascaded from her left eye. Why was it so hard to forget about him? Why did the universe insist on reminding her of him every second of the day. Why did everything remind her of him? It was as if the world was bringing them together even though they shouldn’t be. 

She looked around and saw Achilles checking a book so she quietly walked over to the register and paid for the book before hiding it in her skirt’s pocket. She walked towards Achilles and saw him chatting with Mr. Kent, the store owner.

“Oh, the older Ms. Goldstein! Your sister was here earlier. She bought a ton of our imported magazines. Did you find everything you were looking for?”

“Oh no, I’m just waiting for my colleague” she told him, then turned to Achilles before adding. “Did you find something of your interest? I think is time we start heading back.” the auror nodded in response and walked with Mr. Kent to pay for his books and magical map. They thanked Mr. Kent and left the store. 

Once they reached the auror offices, Achilles escorted her back to her office before going to his, stopping at the entrance.

“Thank you for taking sometime to show me around. I really appreciate.” he gave her one of his cheeky smiles. 

“It was nothing, I really had a great time.” she reply shyly. Okay so maybe Achilles Tolliver is not a total idiot, Tina thought to herself. She made a mental note to make more small talk with him. 

“Well I’ll let you get back to work. It’s been a real pleasure Tina. I’ll see you around.” And with that, he left the office and Tina alone with her thoughts racing, going over and replaying about the day she just had.


	5. An Unexpected Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina helps Achilles Tolliver with a case involving magical creatures.

By Friday afternoon, Tina was ready to crawl into bed and stay there until Monday morning. She had had the most dreadful week possible, and it was mostly due to her lack of sleep. Every night, she would wait for Queenie to fall asleep before silently entering their shared bedroom and getting ready for bed only to be crying herself to sleep. Her dreams had been plagued by grim nightmares, images of what could have been hers and Newt’s happy ending, a flutter of hope, when it shifted into a wedding where she was not the bride, but a silent witness who watched longingly from a far off distance at the happy couple. 

Other times the images would find her visiting London, going to see him and knocking on his door, only to be cruelly dismissed by the one man she cared for the most. He would laugh at her plain appearance, drenched by the heavy rain from outside, and ask her to leave and never come back. He would grab all the letters she lovingly written to him with all her time and care, after hours of writing drafts and thrown them at her face before shutting the door forcefully. But the worst nightmares were those in which Newt Scamander would tell her he never had feelings for her, that she had made a fool of herself by believing someone like him could ever love her, and the only reason he wrote to her was because he felt sorry for her and the lack of friends and family she had. Leta was always standing by his side in her dreams, looking poise and elegant, glancing down at her from time to time, wrinkling her nose, as if she could smell something awful. 

Tina had stuck to the same routine all week, waking up really early every morning, usually from an awful nightmare and changing into a simple work outfit. She would then drink a cup of coffee and grab one of Jacob’s fantastic pastries who were innocently resting on the dining room table for later, before writing a quick note to her sister and leaving the apartment. She was the first to arrive at the Investigative Department, where she enjoyed an hour of silence before all her colleagues start arriving. She would work on her files all morning and then make a quick break to have lunch. To her surprise, she had taken her lunch every day that week with Achilles Tolliver. He was a nice man, a little conceited but always thoughtful towards others. 

On Tuesday morning he had walked into her office to inform her that he had finished reading one of the books she had suggested to him on their first lunch together, and that he was looking forward to discover all the places mentioned on the book. He then asked her kindly to be his companion for the week, since he needed a new yorker to defend his honor just in case he found himself in trouble. “Me and my big californian mouth.” he had said, laughing. Tina thought lengthily with hesitation, but ultimately decided to accept his offer, since she could use the distraction after all and soon realized that she actually enjoyed the company of the young man. They always walked to their destinations together and he took the opportunity to talk with her about anything that could cross his mind. He was definitely a chatterbox, just like Queenie, but for once, Tina actually liked listening to the young auror. They would get so immersed in his stories and constantly lose track of time. Once they returned to their offices, he would escort her back to her own before heading over to his. At the end of the day, Achilles would pop up again to bid her farewell and remind her not to stay up too late. She was usually back home on time to have dinner with Queenie and sometimes Jacob if he was around to join them. 

She tried really hard to stick to this routine in order to avoid thinking about a certain British man, but it was almost impossible. He was like her constant companion, everywhere she looked, wherever she went, she could see him. Her nights were the worst for the young witch when she was alone trapped in her own thoughts. She knew Queenie had somehow warned Jacob not to ask about or even mention Newt in front of her or in her presence. Last night, she told Queenie she was going to take a bath and left the two lovers by themselves, but just as she was reentering the living room half and hour later, she heard them talking about him. 

“I already told you honey! He lied to her, made her keep her hopes up for what?!... He didn’t even have the decency of telling her himself, she had to find out by a stupid gossip magazine.” Queenie had said agitated, “and before you defend him again, i bought at least 10 different magazines just to give him the benefit of the doubt and they all said the same thing.” she was now getting upset, “Newt Scamander to wed childhood sweetheart”, “Newt Scamander to wed pureblood heiress”, blah, blah, blah, what do you have to say now?” Queenie shot at the muggle petulantly. She knew her sister had bought many magazines but she didn’t knew the reason behind it. She wondered where she had hidden them as she had not seen them in the kitchen, where all of Queenie’s magazines were usually stored.

“I believe you darling, but I know Newt and there must be some kind of untold explanation behind this. I could tell after being arrested with them that he really liked her, a lot. Besides, he is not a cruel person, he wouldn’t do something like that. Not to someone he truly cares about.” Jacob replied calmly.

Queenie sighed defeatedly before saying, “Jacob, you knew the guy for less than 48 hours, how can you say you know him that well?” Tina could tell her sister was trying to remain calm without trying to offend the no-maj.. “Look, regardless of his intentions, my sister is inconsolable and hurting, crying every single night over him! He literally broke her heart and I don’t how to fix this. I want to help her so badly! So I'm only asking you please not to mention his name while she is around. Could you do that for me?” 

Jacob remained silent for a minute before her agreeing to her request. She then realized that Queenie must have been so focused on her chat with Jacob that she hadn’t noticed her sister standing close by until now, “Teenie?” She called out to her, turning around to and feigning a grin. She decided to join them and pretend like she hadn’t listened to anything they had been discussing earlier on, but the inquisitive side glaces Jacob had been giving her were making it really hard for her to keep calm, as all she just wanted to do was snap at him and tell him to stop feeling sorry for her. 

She found herself lost in her thoughts once more, and she wondered how long she would have to feel like this. Tina didn’t like the way people were looking at her, she had spotted many MACUSA employees staring her during the week and for a minute she wondered if her younger blonde sister had said anything, but she knew Queenie will never betray her like that. Why did she have to keep thinking about him? Or worse, why couldn’t she hate him after what he had done to her? She felt like her feelings for him only got stronger every passing day. She was about to start weeping but was saved by her new auror friend.

“Hey Tina, are you about to head out?” he asked her cheerfully.

“Um.. mmm… actually I think it is a good time for me to head home. Why?”

“Well… you see… you remember that case I told you about earlier? The creature smuggling ring?” she actually did remember and she could also remember how she had to run to a closed bathroom as tears were starting to gather in her eyes threateningly at the mere mention of them. She just nodded her head, pressing her lips together as he continued, not noticing her change in expression,“Well, I’ve been told that this guy Gnarlak can provide me with more intel but I can’t seem to find where his bar is located… The Blind Ring?… The Bored Pink?...”

“The Blind Pig” she corrected automatically.

“Yes, that’s correct, so you do know about it? I don’t want to impose but would you mind terribly coming with me? I will authorize the extra hours and include you in the case and final report, obviously.” he added quickly. Tina hesitated for a minute… seriously? Going to The Blind Pig to ask that awful man about magical creatures? I must have done something terrible in my previous life. “Of course, if you have other plans, I can just figure it out on myself…”

“Actually I don’t have any plans”... she remained silent for a minute. If she goes home, she would be by herself as Queenie was out on a date with Jacob. Her baby sister had been so excited when she told her that he had asked, a complete gentleman. Of course, she already known beforehand as Jacob had asked for her permission before, without her sister’s knowledge. She didn’t want to be alone in their apartment as she was sure she would start crying again. “Yes, i think that would be fine. Just let me finish this really quickly and then we can go.” Tina replied.

“Okay I’ll see you in the entrance in 15 minutes?”

“Yes, 15 minutes should be fine.” The auror was about to leave when Tina called out for him, “Achilles?” he turned and looked at her waiting patiently for her to continue, “Don’t forget your tie” she said smiling teasingly.

**********************************************

The Blind Pig looked exactly as it did the last time she was there. The seedy, low-ceilinged speakeasy was busier than usual. It seemed like every witch and wizard criminal in New York had decided to come for a drink, their wanted posters hanging proudly on the walls. 

The pair had entered the bar trying not to cause much attention to themselves. Achilles had suggested changing their standard work outfits for something a little more casual in order to blend in with the rest. He spotted an empty table and starting leading them towards it. Just when they were standing next to it, Tina realized that it was the same table she had shared with Newt a few months ago. She wanted to suggest a different one but her new friend was already seated, looking around, studying the place with an inquisitive look on his dark eyes. She sighed heavily and seated on an available chair. It’s just a table Goldstein! Get it together! she tried telling herself, but couldn’t get the memory of this same scene all those months ago out of her head.

A house elf approached them and they ordered two glasses of giggle water. Achilles told Tina a few details about this case on their way to the speakeasy. Apparently this smuggling ring, not only trafficked magical creatures but also dark magical objects. They operated mostly in Europe but all European Ministries had tightened their security since Grindelwald’s followers were still at large. So they had decided to move to their business stateside. The house elf returned with their drinks and the eager auror asked where he could find Gnarlak. He informed them sullenly that Gnarlak would be out in 15 minutes before retreating back to the bar. 

Tina shifted uncomfortably on her chair. Every single detail about this night brought the young auror back to a different night, sitting with a completely different man. Not knowing at all what she was feeling. Tina could remember every single detail about that night, how he had reluctantly let go of Pickett when Gnarlak had demanded them to give the bowtruckle to him, how safe she had felt wrapped around his arms in the death cell, how he had entrusted her with his most valuable possession, his case. 

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn’t realize that 15 minutes had already passed and that Gnarlak was walking towards their table. “Well, well, well… look who we have here” he sneered,grinning pathetically.. 

“Gnarlak” she replied coldly. “We need to ask you about a smuggling ring from Europe operating in the city. Any information you are willing to share?” she added, in a serious almost deadly tone. She was on auror mode now.

“I might have heard something… you know how this business works.” He gestured the bar with the arm holding a shot of firewhiskey.“You give these people the enough amount of alcohol and they sing like little birds. But as you already know my help is not for free, what are you two willing to give me in exchange?” he asked looking mainly at Achilles, raising an eyebrow and a devil like smirk spread on his face.

Tina kicked herself for having forgotten about Gnarlak’s way of doing business. She hadn’t thought about bringing something with them but apparently the other auror already knew what was expected of him as he took a small velvety sac from his breast pocket and passed it on to Gnarlak.

“Only gold?... your other fella was more interesting than this one, and also were his gifts.” he spoke to Tina, inspecting the sac. Tina stopped breathing for a few seconds before he spoke again “You are lucky this is enough gold for the information you want to know about. So what do you want to know?”

Tina remained silent. How was it possible that with just the sole mention of him, not even a mention of his name, could make her react like this. Specially in the middle of a professional investigation. Achilles could tell something was off with her, so he decided to stepped in. “We would like to know where in the city they might be hiding? And if they smuggle other things apart from magical creatures.” 

“There is a rumor spreading around, that some European fellas are borrowing an old apartment in Queens, right next to the East River. I heard they mostly sell potions but there was nothing heard about beasts. No signs of it. You could give it a try anyways, you never know. As always it’s been a pleasure, Goldstein but I have other more important business to attend.” he says, grunting as he stood up and walked towards the bar but stopped and turned “oh, do send my regards to your friend Mr. Scamander.” he added finally looking from one auor to the next, smirking.. 

Tina who had been silent during the men’s brief exchange, looked down at her hands. She felt tears forming in her eyes but she refused to cry in front of others. She didn’t need people thinking she was weak. Even when he couldn’t notice the small tears threatening to leave her eyes, Achilles could tell that something was off with his new friend. 

“Hey Tina” he said putting his hand on her forearm comfortingly, concern spreading throughout his features. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, sorry … I just think I might be getting a cold.” she said apologetically. “Do you mind if I go back home? I know I said I would help you but I don’t feel really good right now.” that was not a lie. She was suffering from a broken heart and the universe kept insisting on reminding her of Newt Scamander, and she was afraid she would never recover from it. 

“Of course, I can walk you home and then send and owl calling for backup. Rogers told me how he had no plans for tonight” the auror told her sympathetically. When he realized she was going to protest he added, “I know you can take care of yourself but it wouldn’t be nice of me to allow one of my colleagues leave when they are not feeling their best. I would do it for any auror, man or woman.” he stood up and left some money on the table, “Come on miss, let’s get out of here.”

The aurors apparated to a close alley and walked in silence back to her building. Before departing, he wished her a sincere good night and a prompt recovery. He waited until she was inside the building before leaving back for his task. Achilles Tolliver was a nice and considerate man. He was nothing like she thought he was when they first met. This should teach you not to judge people on first appearances. You did it before and you were mistaken. Now look at how you are complete mess because of it! While making her way up the stairs, Tina Goldstein wished for a minute, only for a minute, that she had never met Newt Scamander, but just picturing his sweet smile made her change her mind, even when it pains me infinitely I wouldn’t change anything about what happened between us. I love that silly reckless man with all my heart. 

Tina entered the small apartment ready to find herself with the bubbly sight of her younger sister, only to realize that she was alone. Queenie was probably still out with Jacob. She hoped from the bottom of her heart that they were having a good time together. Even when she loved her sister more than anything, moments like these were when she liked being by herself. Queenie would only yell at her and tell her to ‘stop it with those thoughts of hers’, but the truth was that she couldn’t. What her sister didn’t understand was how she sometimes envied her. 

How easy it was for her to get boys to like her, even other girls were dying to be friends with her. She was beautiful and skilled at house chores, she was lovable. She would be a wonderful wife for a fine man, because there was no doubt in her mind that Queenie will get married to a good man. Tina, on the other hand was as Queenie liked to called her “the career girl”, the auror. She never thought of herself as the type who would get married, but all that had changed when she met Newt and they started writing to each other. How wrong had she been. Now , she only wishes for a day in which she would not be reminded of Newt Scamander, the famous author and magizoologist. Someone she had thought she knew. That was the only thing she asked for everyday. It was not something she could bear with.

Tina made a cup of hot cocoa and drank it quietly before she walked towards the bedroom to change into her comfy nightgown set. Unlike her sister, she usually didn’t like wearing slips to bed, they were not practical to her. She laid on top of her bed and was about to reach under her pillow to grab something hidden there, but she hesitated for a few minutes. After a long pause she pulled out her copy of Newt’s book, which she had already read three times since buying it a few days since it came out. She could almost hear him and the passion he felt for his creatures in every word he wrote. That was one of the things she loved the most about him, his unconditional love for his creatures. Tina stared at the book in her hands for a time, softly caressing the letters in the cover. She opened it to the place she had stopped reading the night before. Without her sister’s knowledge, she had kept Newt’s last letter and had been using it as a bookmark. The young auror had re-read the letter a few times as well and everytime she had started crying. She couldn’t get how the same man that wrote her those beautiful letters, could have deceived her like that. His words had given her hope and happiness during those so many months of loneliness, and know that with a mere mention of his name could make her want to crawl into bed and cry for days. 

She read the book for a few minutes before tucking herself into bed, she switched the lights off and instead of putting the book back into its hiding place, she hugged it close to her chest and let the angry tears she had been containing all day fall from her eyes and they didn’t stop until she fell asleep from all the exhaustion inside of her, a certain man with a certain book filling her dreams.


	6. A bright Ray of sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Goldstein sisters have a nice Saturday in company of two nice gentlemen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Sunday and other chapter!
> 
> I hope you like this one. Starting from here I will start to point the date in which each chapter happens.  
> Please leave your comments and let me know what you think if this.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
> Once again thank you to Trini for betating this chapter.

_ Saturday, April 2nd, 1927 _

 

Tina woke up a few minutes before eight am on Saturday morning. She couldn’t tell if the delicious smell coming from the other side of her bedroom door or if the bright light shining brightly through her window were to blame for that. She had intended to sleep in today. She was so tired after a whole week of sleepless nights and to make it worse, this morning she had a throbbing headache, possibly due to all the crying the night before. She could hear her sister’s sweet and melodious voice singing coming from the kitchen. She stood up and after fixing her sheets and comforter, she walked towards into their living room to find her sister and the cause of the sweet scent of breakfast .

 

Once she walked out of their room she saw her sister standing next to the stove, cooking something that smelled quite pleasurable. Queenie turned to look at her when she realized she had entered the kitchen. “Morning Teenie! You’re finally up!” she said happily before turning back to her cooking. Tina could smell the brew of the fresh coffee pot on the counter, and citrus odor from the freshly  squeezed orange juice. She could also sense the greasy and delicious smell of eggs and bacon as they fried on the pan above their stove. 

 

Tina was about to take her usual spot at their breakfast table when she noticed the extra set of dishes placed next to her sister. “Queenie, are we expecting company this morning?” the auror asked quizzically. 

 

“Oh, I am so sorry. I forgot to tell you. I invited Jacob over for breakfast” she said casually, as she set the platter with eggs and bacon on the table. “You probably should change into something more appropriate before he arrives. Unless…” she gave Tina sweet, innocent smile before adding “unless of course it doesn’t bother you to be on your nightgown when he gets here.” That was when Tina realized she was still wearing her light blue long sleeping slip. It reached to her knees and covered her enough but was hardly the appropriate attire to wear when she was receiving guests. She quickly hurried back to their room and changed into a dark blue summer dress and comfortable flat shoes. She was finishing with fixing her hair when she heard a knock echoing from their front door. She walked out to the living room only to see Jacob embracing her sister gently before kissing her cheek. The couple then turned to look at her, and he gave her a wide genuine smile.

 

“Good morning Tina, how are you?” He asked her cheerly. He and Queenie had separated from their embrace but were holding hands now. The auror smiled at the tender gesture of affection. She replied warmly at  the greeting and the two witches and no-maj moved over to the kitchen table.

 

Their conversation was friendly and casual. The baker told them everything that had happened at  work that week. Queenie had probably heard many of these stories already, but she smiled and laughed along anyways. 

 

Tina found herself smiling and laughing as well. Joy bubbling up inside of her, forgetting for a moment of her broken state. With the presence of them, she felt loved and cared for. Perhaps she would get over Newt Scamander soon. 

 

Jacob was a good man, kind-hearted soul and she was happy that her sister had found a good man to court her. Just when her mind was beginning to wander towards sadder thoughts, they heard another knock on their front door. Both sisters looked at each other, bewildered as they weren’t expecting any company besides Jacob. 

 

“It’s probably just Mrs. Esposito. Jacob would you mind going and hiding in the bedroom over there, for a few minutes?” Tina asked standing up and walking towards the door. The man nodded and walked quickly to the sister’s bedroom before closing the double doors with a click. Queenie nodded her head, gesturing everything was safe and Tina opened the door, and she gasped once she saw the tall man standing in front of her.

 

“Achilles? What are you doing here?” She asked surprised.

 

“Hello Tina. I apologize for intruding like this but I was on my way to have breakfast and just thought to stop by and see if you were feeling better.” He said with concern. “I was worried about you last night when I walked you home.”

 

Before she could reply her sister approached them from behind and open the door completely. “That is really considerate of your friend, Teenie!” She said dubiously, “I am Queenie Goldstein by the way, Tina’s sister.” She exclaimed cheerfully offering her hand to the auror. He hesitated only for a few seconds before taking her hand and introducing himself.

 

“Achilles Tolliver. I work with your sister in the Auror Department. It is a pleasure to meet you Ms. Goldstein.” He said politely. From where he was standing he could now take a quick peek at their whole living room. He noticed the table set for breakfast and quickly added, “I see I am intruding your breakfast time and I apologize for that. I just wanted to see if you were feeling better Tina.”

 

Again, before she could reply, Queenie interrupted again “You are not intruding at all Mr. Tolliver! We had barely started.” she stopped talking and looked at him inquisitively for a few seconds. The bolnde witch studied the handsome auror briefly before adding, “Maybe you would like to stay for breakfast?” Tina turned to look at her sister unbelievingly, thinking loudly  _ Have you lost your mind? Why are you inviting him for breakfast? Have you forgotten Jacob is currently hiding in our bedroom? _

 

Queenie ignored her sister’s demanding questions and waited for Achilles reply.

 

“Oh no, I couldn’t impose like that.” He said, shaking his head apologetically. 

 

“You wouldn’t!” Queenie squeaked hurriedly  “In fact, we were having breakfast with a good friend of ours. His name is Jacob Kowalski but I have to warn you that if you choose to stay you might need to keep a little secret of ours.” She finished whispering the last words with a wink.

 

“Now I am intrigued Ms. Goldstein. If you are sure I won’t bother you ladies and your friend. Then I would be delighted.” He said genuinely, but still undecided. 

 

Tina looked at their exchange in horror.  _ What was her sister thinking? Is she crazy or was she trying to get them in trouble?  _ “Not a bother at all Mr. Tolliver, he wouldn’t be, right Teenie?” She said looking at her sister pointedly, with a mischievous look shining in her wide blue eyes. She could tell Achilles was waiting for her confirmation anxiously, wanting to know that it was all right for him to stay. Tina thought this through momentarily.  _ Well he had mentioned that he found no-majs fascinating and that he wished for MACUSA would change their ancient views on wizard/no-maj relations. Maybe she could give it a try and if not, she and Queenie could always obliviate him if necessary.  _ Queenie’s smiled cheekily at them both as soon as she saw that thought formed in her sister’s mind.

 

“It is not bother at all Achilles, as my sister mentioned we already had company, so the more the merrier, right?” She said with a small smile that did not reach her eyes. The auror finally accepted the sisters invitation and quickly walked into the apartment before being discovered by their old tenant lady.

 

Queenie quickly went to look for Jacob, leaving Tina and Achilles standing awkwardly in the living room. He was the first to break the awkward silence. “Are you feeling better this morning? You looked like you had an awful night.” He seemed to realized what he had said because he quickly added, “I meant that you look really tired, like if you hadn’t slept at all.”

 

He was either very observant or her sister and Jacob were really nice not to point that out to her before. “I did have a rough night but I’m feeling much better now. Thank you.” she said sincerely, she then remembered that he had gone to check his lead after dropping her home, “How did the investigation go? Where you able to find anything?”

Before he could reply, Queenie and Jacob walked back into the kitchen once again interrupting them, “Mr. Tolliver, I would like to introduce you to our friend Jacob Kowalski. He owns his owns the bakery in Rivington Street.” She then turned to look at Jacob before adding, “Jacob this is Achilles Tolliver and he works with Teen in MACUSA. He is an auror, just like her.” Both men shook hands politely and greeted each other before Queenie added, “Oh, I think we forgot to mention that Jacob is a no-maj.” 

 

Achilles seemed surprised but not bothered about this fact. He blinked a few times before grinning. “You are a no-maj?” Jacob just nodded with a shy smile. “Well, this is very interesting indeed. I have always found no-majs fascinating. Would it bother you if I asked you a few questions?” 

 

“Of course not, but could we do that while we eat? I am sorry but I am very hungry this morning” both men laughed together and walked towards the table closely followed by the two witches.

 

Once more the conversation was casual and friendly. Achilles had a lot of questions about no-majs and Jacob was more than happy to solve his inquiries. After breakfast they remained seated at the table, talking and discussing about work. Queenie observed her sister the whole morning and for the first time in a week she saw her laughing, and joyfully joining in with some of the men’s jokes. She knew she was taking a risk when she invited him to breakfast but she had read the auror’s thoughts on the man and these past hours of getting to know him confirmed he was a true gentleman who would keep his word, regardless of the consequences. She could also see that he was truly concerned about her sister’s well being and wouldn't do anything that would hurt her. She was glad her assumptions had been correct. 

 

“So there I was, I called in back up and everything. First important case in a new city. I had verified my sources, so I was thinking it was going to be a piece of cake.” Achilles was telling them about last night’s raid. He provided very small details as he was not allowed to tell them what he was actually working on, but last night’s story was going to make the papers anyways, so he was merely giving them a sneak peak. 

 

“And what happened?” Jacob asked intrigued, “Did you catch the bad guys?”

 

“It depends on what you called bad guys. It turned out that this was in fact an illicit operation ring, but they’re not the ones I’ve looking for this past entire week. They were a bunch of kids coming straight out of school, selling love potions to school girls. Really clever operation if I may say, they sent the customers the potions via owl post. The potions were disguised as perfume so once they arrived at  their schools it only looked like they ordered a bottle of perfume.” He said amused. He then turned to Tina and added, “I think our little friend Gnarlak played a game on us or he doesn’t know as much as he says he does.”

 

“It’s probably the first one actually.” Tina said annoyed, rolling her eyes. “He likes playing games and only provides information if it’s convenient for him.”

 

“Gnarlak?” Jacob asked confused, his eyebrow furrowing. “Hey, isn’t he that guy we went to visit last year with Newt…” he stopped abruptly when he saw look Queenie gave him. 

 

“Yes. The same guy” Tina replied quietly, head bowed. There was an awkward silence after that, nobody knew what to say or if they should say anything at all. Queenie studied her sister and noticed she was lost in her thoughts. Her hopeful smile had vanished and her eyes were filled with grief and sadness.  _ She is probably thinking about Newt again. I wished I could help her forget about him.  _ Suddenly the blonde witch had an idea.

 

“Hey, I have an idea that could help you with your investigation. Tina has a friend from back at Ilvermorny, he used to work for MACUSA’s field office in Chicago but got bored and left. He now owns a concealed bar in the city. I was actually talking to Jacob about going over there tonight. I know Ray wouldn’t mind the fact that he is a no-maj.” Jacob looked at her  bemusedly as he didn’t know what she was talking about but he decided to play along. He figured he had to since it was him the one who ruined their morning by mentioning his British friend. Queenie continued explaining, “I was thinking maybe we could all go, pretend as if this were a double date or something! “Which of course you both would have to dress less like aurors and more regular citizens.” she added, wagging her finger at them both pointedly.  “We both could say hi to Ray and whenever you think it’s prudent, you could ask him to get you the information needed. “ she continued, looking at her sister. 

 

“I don’t get how can he help us get the information.” Achilles said, frowning

 

“He knows many people, and many things about them as well. He’s helped Tina once or twice before. Besides Ray is a nice person, so you know that whatever information he gives you, he is not trying to deceive you. Unlike Gnarlak.” Queenie explained excitedly.

 

“I don’t know…It does seem like a great plan. If it is a group date, nobody will suspect we are from MACUSA…” Achilles thought aloud. He seemed doubtful and he kept looking at Tina, searching for her approval or any kind of reaction.

 

Instead, Tina examined her sister deeply.  _ You better not be trying to play matchmaker Queenie. I work with him. He is only my friend. It wouldn’t be appropriate for us to have any sort of intimate relation beyond the friendship we share.  _ Queenie replied to her instantly.

 

“It was just an idea we had, right honey.” She said her eyes meeting Jacob’s asking him desperately to corroborate her story. Jacob didn’t need to be told twice. After a whole week together he was now able to read every single one of Queenie’s expressions.

 

“Yes, Queenie mentioned earlier that she wanted to show me a real magical bar and we thought about going tonight.” He said casually, as if they had planned this beforehand. “Queenie and I will go anyway, if you want to join us and get intel for your investigation, you are both more than welcome to.” He finished grinning kindly at the two aurors.

 

“I think it’s a good plan. I do need to do something to redeem myself before Monday. Everyone must think I’m an idiot after last night’s events. But is up to you Tina, the guy is your friend after all.”

 

Tina remained silent for a few minutes, pondering on the different possibilities before finally smiling genuinely at them for the first time in almost a week. “Okay, I guess we should get something to wear then.”

 

*********************************

The group had decided to meet up at Jacob’s bakery at 6 p.m. They had a nice meal cooked by Jacob as they went over their plan once again. It was fairly simple, they would walk in and just pretend that they were on a double date. Just four young people having fun. The girls anyway, as both men considered themselves quite too old to be referred to as boys. They left the bakery a few minutes before 8 and aparated to a near alley.

 

The group entered the no-maj bar silently and Tina walked straight towards the bar in the corner of the room. She ordered a Red Flaming Ruby and the young woman behind the counter told her to wait for her for a minute. She finished pouring some drinks for a couple seated on bar stools before walking around the bar and ordered the group to follow her with a tilt of her head. She lead them to the far end of the bar and told them the entrance was by the red brick wall outside and walked away from them without another word. 

 

“This is odd” Queenie said, frowning while the group walked outside through the side door. “Last time we were here they lead us towards a door by the toilets.” The four of them reached the brick wall and the two witches tried to figure out where exactly the entrance was, but nothing seemed to be working.  _ Ray has always been good with spells, it might be quite hard to figure out which he used.  _ Tina muttered quietly.

 

They were about to call it a night and head out  when they saw a shadow creep behind them. Her auror instincts made her grab her wand and point it at the person lurking behind them.

 

“Seriously Porpentina? After all this time, you still can’t figure out a simple disguise spell.” the blonde man said with an eyebrow raised, smiling teasingly. He was tall with broad shoulders. His blue eyes shined in the dark, his face was covered by a subtle stubble. He had a crooked smile on his face and was using his wand to illuminate the dark alley. He then turned to looked at Queenie a grin spreading across his face before adding, “Well, well, well… look who we have here, younger Goldstein. How have you been kid? I haven’t seen you in forever.”

 

“Ray, could you please leave the pleasantries for after you’ve let us into your club?” Tina interrupted annoyed, before Queenie could respond. She had a feeling that they were standing in the wrong place. 

 

“Sorry, you know I can’t help it. It was always so fun to mess with you. You always look so pretty when you‘re mad at me.” he looked at them confused and added “please don’t tell me you used the old drink order to try and get in?” he shook his head. “I changed that last year doll, in fact, I moved locations. If you follow me I can take you to my real establishment.” he started walking and turned slightly to see that none of them was following him. “Well, are you coming or not? I don’t have all day and you know that I don’t like to be kept waiting… not even by my lovely ex-girlfriend.” 

 

Tina huffed and started following him, her friends a few steps behind her. “Why did you move it anyway?” she asked him, intrigued. 

 

“I see you are still as curious as you were back at school. I always told you that even when I found you appealing, that little treat of yours could get you into so much trouble. But that’s what makes you so charming I guess.” he said with a crooked smile.  _ He always had a nice smile. _ “What brings you and little Goldstein to a place like this?”

 

“Double date” Tina answered quickly, avoiding his eyes by moving her gaze to the ground.

 

Ray stopped in his tracks and looked at her closely for a few seconds before resuming their walk. “If you don’t want to tell me the truth, at least come up with a better lie Porpentina.You used to be better at lying when we were younger, if I recall correctly.” he said thoughtfully. “Remember how I could always tell when you were lying to me?” He was right, he had been named prefect of their house while she was a third year student. That same year had been Queenie’s first year at Ilvermorny and Tina was always trying to sneak out at night to find her sister. More than once, had she been discovered by Ray Sherbourne. 

 

“I needed to ask you for a favor but I didn’t want to send an owl just in case it was intercepted. My sister and her…” she didn’t know what they were yet, so she just went for the easiest label, “friend, wanted to go out tonight and we thought this could be a good opportunity to come and see if you can help me with a little case I am currently working on.” Just then they reached a different red brick wall and Ray took out his wand and tapped 5 different bricks. 

 

The bricks started moving, revealing and old looking door. He pointed at the knob with his wand and it opened to reveal a bar full of young and middle aged wizards and witches. The bar was quite big, and it had plenty of room for dancing. Ray lead the group towards a table and asked one of the waiters to bring them some drinks. 

 

“I have something important to do right now but I’ll stop by the bar area in an hour or so and we can continue this enlightening conversation Porpentina.” he said smiling mischievously at her, then he turned to addressed the other people in the group with a curt nod, “Younger Goldstein. Gentlemen.” then just as fast as he appeared, the man disappeared. They sat there for a few minutes talking animatedly. Jacob and Achilles were currently exchanging some war stories. Both sisters could tell that even when it seemed like both men were forming a nice friendship, Jacob was more reserved with the young auror in comparison with the British wizard he had met the year before. The music changed to a lively tune and Jacob instantly asked Queenie to dance. The young couple left the aurors at the table in middle of an awkward silence. Once again, it was Achilles the one who broke it.

 

“So… you and this guy…?” he asked hesitantly.

 

Tina sighed before answering, “Yes we dated while we were at Ilvermorny. Ray was also a Thunderbird but he was two years ahead of me. We started talking during my third year, usually when I sneaked out of our house quarters to look and check if Queenie was okay. He caught me a few times but never gave me detention. One night he asked me where I went every night, I don’t know why but I felt like I could trust him so I practically told him my entire life story. After that he made me promise to let him know every time I wanted to go see Queenie, and that I couldn’t keep going every night. Maybe a few nights a week, but not always. We become closer throughout the years and he finally asked me out during my fifth year. We dated for around a year or so, but we broke it off once he left for auror training. We remained close friends after that but I haven’t spoken to him in a few months.” she said dreamily. It was true, when she was younger she had had a huge crush on Ray Sherbourne. 

 

He was attractive, intelligent and kind. But as she grew up she realized that a relationship with him couldn’t work in the long term. He was not the committed kind of guy, even when she was his girlfriend, he didn’t like to use those labels. It had taken a Horned Serpent boy asking her to the Christmas Ball for him to finally make it official. What she hadn’t told Achilles was that she had met Ray again once she entered the auror training program. He was about to graduate and was helping with teaching some freshman lessons. They picked up where they left in school, but it was not same. They were not young naive teenaers anymore, at least she wasn’t. There might have been a need to feel company or something else but it was not true love. They dated for a  whole year discreetly, as it wouldn’t have looked good if people found out she was dating an instructor. Ultimately they decided to break things off for good. Not even Queenie knew about this, since she was in Ilvermorny at that time. 

 

She had liked Ray a lot when she was younger and she had been very happy when an older boy showed interest in dating her. She thought at the time that they would get married once they graduated from the auror training program but later on realized that she was not truly in love with him. He was the first boy she ever kissed and a really good friend, but they would have never been happy together in the long run. He was always so sweet and caring towards her but he just had a free spirited personality that couldn’t be tamed, not even by a wife and children. 

 

“Is he the reason why you have been so sad this week?” Achilles asked suddenly, concerned.

 

“What?” she said, startled. “I’m not sad, I just have a lot on mind.” she lied.  _ I’m doing such an awful job at hiding my feelings that even someone who only met me this week can tell something is bothering me?  _ They remained silent for a few more minutes, watching Jacob and Queenie danced happily to the upbeat songs. Achilles seemed to be having an internal struggle, before talking again.

 

“Would you… would you like to dance?” he finally asked her. She turned to looked at him, surprised by his sudden request. His eyes were hopeful, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings when he had been really nice to her all week.  _ One dance couldn’t hurt, right? _

 

They joined the other couple on the small dance floor and started dancing awkwardly to the music’s rhythm. The song was upbeat and happy. She noticed that her dance partner had some funny and weird dance moves, always kept a smile in his face. He didn’t seem to care that some couples were looking at him. By the fourth song, she felt more relaxed and was able to enjoyed herself. Achilles was now holding her right hand and had his left hand loosely on her waist as they dance together, he occasionally spinned her around, making her laugh joyfully. After a few more songs, both couples returned to their table and enjoyed a casual conversation. They were having such a great time that it took Tina a few minutes before seeing Ray waving discreetly at her from behind the bar. “Excuse me for a minute.” she said standing from her chair and walked up to meet her old friend.

 

“Having a good time?” he asked her puckishly. 

 

“Yes, I guess I am. How have you you been?” she asked him. She still cared deeply for her friend and wished him all the best in the world. “Business going well?”

 

“Yes, very good. This new location brings more customers than the old one, so I can’t complain. How’s work? I heard you got reinstated again, see I told you those idiots had to see how talented you are. I always said it, even when being an auror was not my thing, I still know who has the skills to become one of the best.” That was one of the things she liked the most about him, his honesty. He was 100% transparent, not single ounce of hypocrisy in his whole being. He had always been very upfront and honest with everyone, that’s how she had known that he was not the marrying kind. “Besides, you didn’t even deserved to be demoted. I would have done the same thing if I was you. Even if I don’t like children, I would never stand to the side and watch how someone hurts one of them.” he continued passionately, “Of course I would have waited until the crazy woman was by herself to strike, but from what I remember, you were always very emotional and impulsive.” 

 

“Well, I did what I thought was best in that moment. I am sorry if not all of us have your unattachment ability.” she said defiantly. “Work is good actually, thank you for asking. Actually I was going to ask you if you could maybe help me and my friend gather some intel?” she asked innocently. 

 

The blonde man, studied her for a few minutes, eyebrow raised. “What do you need to know?”

 

“Have you heard about a smuggling ring from Europe? They might be trafficking magical creatures mostly, but also dark magic artefacts.” she asked, hopeful.

 

“I do recall some weird fellas mentioning it a few nights ago, but I didn’t pay them much attention.” he said, pensative. His eyes met hers and he could tell she was disappointed, so he added, “But if you give me a few more days, I can look into it if you want. I can send you a message once I have something.” 

 

“That would be really awesome Ray, thank you.” 

 

“Well I’ll leave you and your boyfriend enjoy the rest of your night.”

 

“He is not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.” she said defensively looking at him straight in the eyes, so he could tell she was not lying. 

 

“No need to get all worked up Porpentina. I just thought he was, since you mention a double date earlier.” he said calmly, amused. “But if you want my opinion, what I can tell is that you might want to be just friends, but I can assure you he does not.” he said pointing at her companions, she turned briefly only to see Jacob and Achilles talking, the later seemed to have a scowl on his face. “If you don’t believe me, why don’t you ask your sister?” he whispered, smirking, “Don’t get lost Porpentina, it is always lovely to see you.” he winked at her before  finally walking away and Tina returned to her table.

 

“Teenie guess what? We’re all going to the beach tomorrow! Isn’t that exciting?” Queenie said as soon as she reached them.  _ All? As in the four of us? Do you think that is a good idea?  _ Queenie just nodded her head cheerfully. Her sister seemed really happy about this and Tina remembered she promised her they could go this weekend if the weather was nice enough. 

 

“That’s great Queenie!” she said with a short, uncertain smile.  _ I really hope this is a good idea.  _

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for those wondering my inspirations for Achilles and Ray are James Franco and Michel Fassbender respectively.


	7. Dear Mr. Scamander

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Tina is trying her hardest to mend her broken heart she is unaware that across the ocean a certain British wizard is dying to see her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Sunday, another update! :)
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and kind comments. I might not have pointed this out before but this story is AU. I will try to connect it with CoG at some point and I already have an idea on how to do it (changing a two details from the movie).
> 
> Special thanks to Loving_Leta and RedSnow1 for making this chapter better than originally planned. :)
> 
> This will be a Newt centric chapter and I hope you enjoy it!  
> please let me know what you think.

_Wednesday, March 30th, 1927_

 

Newt Scamander was sitting outside the Magical Law Enforcement department office, waiting to be called in. _I honestly hope they will lift the ban this time,_ he thought to himself, sighing heavily. He placed his right hand over his breast pocket, where a concealed piece of paper laid hidden. He pictured a woman’s dark deep eyes looking at him, the image of her sweet and radiant smile providing encouragement before this dreadful meeting. And just thinking about her always manages to put a smile on his face. The woman wasn’t just any woman. No, she was the most extraordinary of all in his eyes. It was Porpentina Goldstein. He hadn’t  been able to write to her in over two weeks and he was getting worried that she was mad at him. Tina Goldstein had failed to reply to his last letter, which she should have received almost four days ago. _Maybe her owl got lost? If she is indeed mad at me, she has every right to be. I have been such an awful friend…. Friends? Is that what we truly are?_

 

That had been the question going around his head for the last three months, from the day they he departed from New York. Ever since he said goodbye to her at the docks back in December, Newt hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Throughout the entire boat ride, he had studied different young couples traveling together, wishing Tina could accompany him during his travels. He had written his first letter during the voyage, telling her everything he could think of, about his creatures, and how some of them miss her dearly (As he does). And just like that, a long distance correspondence between them had begun. He loved reading about her day, and how excited she was for working at the Auror departments again. He had been surprised, for people to have demoted her as she was one of the most talented witches he had ever met, and he had to make sure Madam Picquery was aware of  that.

 

Thinking about Tina reminded him of the reason why he was waiting to be called in by his brother and some of the Ministry’s high officials. He is not allowed to travel to international soil. He found out four weeks ago when his travel permit had been rejected. He had everything planned at that time. On February 26th, he had a meeting with Augustus Worme from Obscurus Books where the old man had given him the first printed version of his book. As soon as he had seen it, Newt knew to whom that book belong to, so he had appareated straight to Liverpool to book the tickets that would have been able to take him back to New York. Once he had secured the cabin in the ship that was leaving in five days, he had gone to the Ministry to submit his mandatory travel permit, and that’s when things went wrong. He had planned it all in his head. He would have arrived in New York with enough time to present Tina with his book and formally invite her to the book launch celebration on March 19th. But the Ministry had denied his travel permit and when he had gone to demand an explanation, he had been informed that he could always re-submit his request the following week.

 

Unfortunately, Newt didn’t have enough time to travel to America and return in time for his book launch. So he had written to Tina, letting her know that he was working really hard on his book and that it was coming out soon. He didn’t want to keep her hopes up in case he couldn’t travel, so he never mentioned his travel prohibition. In the past three weeks he had been so busy getting ready for the book launch that he hadn’t had time to write back to her. He was angry at himself for allowing this mistake to happen. If he had involuntarily hurt Tina by his carelessness and forgetfulness, he had to find a way to make it up to her and win her trust back . _Maybe I could…_

 

“Mr. Scamander? Mr. Travers is ready for you.” a young wizard told him before escorting him towards a dark wooden door. _I hope they say yes_ , he thought hopefully, closing the door behind him.

 

************************

 

Newt stormed into his office at the Magical Beasts Division and slammed the door behind him, startling the young witch working on some documents in the corner, making her jump.

 

“Mr. Scamander! You startled me! I thought you were not coming in today.” the young woman said confused. “Didn’t you request some time off to travel to America today?” she asked him, frowning.

 

“I apologize Sophie, it was not my intention to scare you.” he said apologetically “And you are not mistaken. I was supposed to travel back to America this afternoon via  portkey but my travel ban hasn’t been revoked yet.” he explained defeatedly. “In fact, it was denied for the second time today!”

 

The young intern looked at him in sympathy and sadness. She knew he was dying to go back to America and visit the girl in the picture he carried around with in his case. She had been working in the Ministry for six months, and she was used to Newt Scamander coming in randomly to help with any active case or research. Even when he was not a full time employee, the head of the department still provided him with some working space so he could be comfortable whenever he came in. The few times he had come in, it was in search for some peace and quiet. Sophie had seen him staring longingly at a picture of a young woman with dark hair. The picture was a cut out carefully from a newspaper article that read the name _Porpentina Goldstein_. She remembered reading that name in a small article a few months ago that mentioned Grindelwald’s capture. The young woman was an American auror, and Sophie was quite sure the young Scamander had developed strong feelings towards her.

 

“I am sorry Mr. Scamander. Maybe next time you will have better luck?” she suggested, smiling kindly.

 

Newt thought about it for a minute and realized that the young intern was right. He could re-apply for a third time. He gave the witch a warm smile and said “You are quite right Sophie, thank you. Well, I just stopped by to check if any mail had arrived for me?”

 

“No Mr. Scamander, there is no mail for you here.” she replied sadly. She could see the disappointment in his face and remembered a few occasions when he had been incredibly happy after receiving a particular letter, from a particular someone. She didn’t know from whom it was from but she knew the letters were coming from America as she had to sneak a peek once or twice.  “Expecting any important correspondence? I was just curious because you’ve been asking me a lot lately. Maybe I can keep an eye out for something in particular and let you know once it arrives.”

 

Newr shook his head negatively in response but thanked her anyway. “I better get going. I need to stop by the editorial to speak with Mr. Worme” The old wizard had told Newt that he had received a lot of fan mail, that was being kept at Obscurus Books office. Newt hoped that between all those fan letters, a letter from a certain American witch could be hiding. “Have a good day Sophie” he said, tilting his head  in farewell.

 

“Goodbye Mr. Scamander. Please send my regards to Bunty.”

 

*************

 

Newt laid awake comfortably on top of his living room bed. He was re-reading the last letter he had received from Tina almost two weeks ago for the 24th time exactly since he saw it in the mail. It was the last and longest one as well. The letter was written in long curvy letters, and Newt could hear her voice as he read it though. She had told him about a current case she was working on at that time. She mentioned how she was looking forward to reading his book once it came out. She always asked about his creatures, especially Pickett, Dougal and the mischievous niffler. Her interest for his creatures were genuine and she had treated them with such care during that week he had spend in New York with her. Her caring and selfless personality was one of the things he loved the most about her. _Love?... I mean, yes, it is one of the things I like the most about her. We’ve only met each other for four months though. How can one possibly love someone in that short amount of time? He couldn’t be in love with her...Right?_

 

The magizoologist had gone to Obscurus Books hoping to find a letter that came from across the pond. He even used a sorting spell to make his search easier, but no letters from America were found. His last hope had been asking Bunty if maybe she had misplaced it with any correspondence that come from abroad. The young assistant had shyly told him that she hadn’t seen anything but offered to help him look around.

 

“Maybe Dougal took it?” she suggested. “You know he likes helping us around here. Maybe he found a letter and put it somewhere else by mistake?”

 

Newt thought it was unlikely, but he agreed to look with her anyways. _He would do anything to find that letter_. They had spent three hours going around every habitat, looking under bushes, searching his office upside down but they hadn’t found anything. After their evening rounds, Bunty left for the day, leaving Newt alone with his thoughts. He hadn’t realized until now how much he liked receiving Tina’s letters. Her letters had always helped him to feel better whenever he had a bad day. He liked to imagine her soft, sweet voice as he read them. It felt as if she were reading them to him. Newt liked to imagine her sitting by her desk at work writing those lovely letters with a beautiful almost breathtaking smile in her face, he pictured her sitting by the fire, next to Queenie drinking hot cocoa. He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed his brother emerging out of his fireplace in green flames.

 

“So the rumours are true! You have fans now.” Theseus Scamander said, smirking.

 

“Brother!” Newt exclaimed in surprise, folding Tina’s letter and putting it on top of the bed before standing up. “What can I do for you?” he asked, looking down at his feet.

 

“Always so charming Newton,” the auror said sarcastically. “ Are you not going to say hello to your older brother?”

 

“Hello Theseus, how are you this evening?” Newt replied flatly.

 

Theseus sighed and shook his head with a silent laugh. What was he expecting? His younger brother had always been a little awkward when interacting with other people. Even with himself and their father. The only person he had always felt comfortable with was with their mother. “I’m quite alright brother, thank you. I was hoping to speak with you earlier but you left so quickly after the meeting that I didn’t get the chance to. I would have been here earlier but I had to accompany Leta to a dinner party.” he explained apologetically. “I thought about coming tomorrow but remembered you are easier to find here at night.”

 

“What do you want to talk about? I don’t think there is much more left to say. I need to travel to America but your boss and his colleagues believe it will not be a good idea because I have a secret agenda.” Newt huffed, agitated.

 

“That might be  because you refused to explain the reason for your travel!” Theseus replied exalted. “And knowing that you like to travel internationally, is not a reason Newton! You have to understand we are still looking for Grindelwald’s followers, and they could be anywhere! The Ministry is under the impression that anyone traveling that far away might be involved in something illegal. Just as you did in your last travel to New York.”

 

Newt just looked at him, his expression inscrutable. What he was supposed to say? That he promised an American girl the first copy of his book and that he would deliver her a copy personally? That he and the American girl have been exchanging letters for the past three months? Surely they would laugh at him and not believe him _._

“That is the true Theseus. I have spent the last few years traveling the world doing research for my book. I enjoyed America very much if you must know. It is a very interesting country, very different from our own.” _It also happens that Tina lives there and I want to see her again. See her beautiful smile and her pretty eyes once more._

 

But Theseus Scamander was no fool. He knew there was more to that story. He and Newt might not be as close as other siblings are, but he knew his brother. There was something he needed to do, there was a reason why he was so adamant about getting his travel ban lifted. Travers thought Newt was working on behalf of Dumbledore, trying to get people from others countries to spy for him. The auror knew his boss was wrong, but still didn’t believe his brother was being 100% honest.

 

“Newt, I’ve known you ever since you were born. I can tell when you are hiding something from me. If you could please just tell me the truth, maybe I could help you.” Theseus suggested.

 

“That is the issue, Theseus. I already told you that I have no secret agenda. That I only wish to be free to travel whenever I wish to. But you are so blinded by what your friends say about me, what _everyone_ says about me, that you also believe I have something to hide.” Newt said honestly. He tried his hardest to look at his brother and  into his eyes so he could see how sincere his words were. “By the way, I also know it was mum the one who sent you here. You could have just said = you and Leta were having dinner with our parents, and that mother asked you to help me, you know.”

 

Theseus was surprised for a moment, but then remembered how observant his little brother was. It was true, he and Leta had invited Mr. and Mrs. Scamander over for dinner. Everything had been perfect until his mother asked about Newt. Leta had let it slip accidentally that he was having issues with the Ministry and his travel permits. That was when his mother had asked her older son to help his younger brother. She had even suggested visiting his brother tonight, as he would be more likely to listen to him. So Theseus had left his fiancee alone with his parents  in search for his brother.

 

“Okay, you are right. Mother did ask me to come and talk with you but I would have done it sooner or later. You are my brother Newt and I really want to help you but I can’t if you don’t let me.” Theseus tried reasoning with him.

 

The young man studied his older brother for a few seconds. He seemed sincere with his words and his intention to help him but he didn’t know how he could help him if he didn’t believe him. _Maybe I could tell him about Tina? Since it is her the one I want to see. Since she is the only reason I want to travel back to America._ Newt was uncertain about what to do. His quietness must have been interpreted by his brother as his answer because he added awkwardly, saying

 

“It’s getting quite late. Why don’t you think about it over the week and we can talk about again on Monday? I will try to help you Newt, but you have the start being more open with me.” he looked at his younger brother, concerned and  without giving it a second thought, he walked towards him to give him a tight hug while Newt stood uncomfortably stiff, not returning his embrace. Theseus gave one last look towards his little brother before walking into the green flames and vanishing from view.

 

Newt grabbed Tina’s letter again and tucked himself into bed tracing the parchment outline with the tip of his finger. He read the letter once, then a few more times until he fell asleep with a content smile on his face. His dreams were full of different images of Tina and himself and because of that he slept peacefully the entire night.

 

He woke up the next morning due to the insisting tapping on his kitchen window. He rose from his bed and walked into the kitchen only to see a familiar owl, carrying an envelope. It was the Goldstein’s owl. He rushed to open the window and let the tiny bird in. The grey owl dropped the envelope on the table and flew to stand next to Newt. He pet the small creature tenderly for a few minutes before feeding her some food and water. While the bird ate, he went directly to read the letter he had been waiting for many days now.

 

He opened the envelope delicately as he normally did to her letters and took the piece of parchment out. He was immediately hit by a very familiar smell, it was a pleasant smell. _This letter smells like Tina, like sandalwood and vanilla,_ he thought to himself. He also noticed that there was another piece of paper inside the envelope. It look like a page torn out form a book or magazine. He unfolded the parchment first and started reading. It was dated Saturday, March 26th, 1927

****

**_Dear Mr. Scamander,_ ** _Mr. Scamander? She usually calls me Newt!_

 

 **_I hope the following letter finds you in good health._ ** _What’s with the formality?_

 **_I would like to congratulate you for your upcoming nuptials. I truly wish you and Ms. Lestrange all the happiness in the world._ ** _What is she talking about?_

 

**_I must say I was slightly surprised when I read about your engagement announcement  in the local wizarding papers, as I was under the impression that you no longer had any contact or spoke with your childhood sweetheart. That was what you told me anyway. How silly of me to assume._ **

 

**_We might have only met each other for a short time but I’m saddened to learn that you turned out to be just like every other high society man. I thought I had seen something different in you but it pains me to realize that I was mistaken. Maybe that was your purpose this whole time, having a naïve, lonely, young woman like me eagerly waiting for you to fulfill any wish you might have. I must tell you Mr. Scamander, that sadly you chose the wrong girl. I am not as naïve as I look. I might have believed all your lies until now, but you don’t have to keep your pretences anymore._ **

 

**_I know you promised me to come back to deliver a copy of your upcoming book in person but that won’t be necessary anymore as I never want to hear from you, much less see you ever again. In this regard, I would appreciate it if you never contact me again. This will be the last time you’ll ever hear from me and my issues. Don’t you worry, you’ll have Mrs. Lestrange (or should I say Scamander now?)  to keep you company and listen to your wonderful creature tales, and have the opportunity to travel with you._ **

 

**_Farewell to you Mr. Scamander. I truly wish you have a long and happy life, even a liar as vile as you deserves such a chance for happiness._ **

 

**_Sincerely,_ **

**_Porpentina Goldstein_ **

 

Newt had to read the letter a few more times before truly understanding its meaning. His heart sunk, and his eyes were wide. He didn’t understand. _What had happen to Tina? This had to be some kind of joke, right? She couldn’t be serious. Hadn’t she read his last letter? Had the ministry prevented him any correspondence to America as well?_ He then remembered the additional piece of paper inside the envelope and retrieved it quickly. It was a folded piece of paper from what seemed to be a witches magazine. Newt read the article attentively and studied the accompanied photograph. Once he was done he felt something he rarely felt. Anger.

 

This was a feeling he is not used to. He had only felt anger a few times before, when people would harm innocent beasts for their own benefits, but this time it was no innocent beast that was hurting. A particular human being was in pain and he knew who was to blame for that. He had been hurt unintentionally by Theseus formerly, but he didn’t care, now that his carelessness was causing pain to Tina, that was unacceptable and he had to do something about it.

 

The magizoologist grabbed his wand and performed a locating spell in search for his brother. He found him at their parents house and without a second thought, he yanked his blue coat off the coat hanger and walked towards the fireplace that Theseus had used previously to come in and out. Just when he was about to yell his destination, Bunty entered the house with a loud squeak of the door. She was startled by seeing Newt looking that angry, he barely had time to yell the instructions to her.

 

“Bunty, I have an emergency and I need to leave immediately to speak with my brother. I haven’t feed anyone yet, so if you could please help me with that, it would be lovely. I don’t know when I’ll be back, it might be some time later.”he told her rushedly. He didn’t wait for her reply, and as soon as he was done explaining, he yelled clearly “Scamander Manor” before disappearing between the green flames.

 

He emerged out of his parents fireplace through their spacious and elegant living room. From where he was standing he could hear his family’s joyful laughter. They seemed to be having a pleasant  time which made him feel slightly bad for having to ruin their cheerful mood. He walked decidedly towards the dining room and pushed the double oak doors forcefully. The loud noise made by the heavy double doors caused the four people seated at the grand table to quiet down suddenly and turn to look at the cause of interruption. Newt looked around the table until he finally set his sight on his older brother and who was the first one to speak up.

 

“Newt?” the auror asked truly confused, “What are you…?”

 

“Did you know about this?” the magizoologist demanded angrily, throwing the magazine’s page across the table just in front of his brother. Every one stood up to stand behind the auror the read what seemed to have enraged Newt that much. He was such a soft, caring man, but now, he looked truly furious. Theseus studied the article for a few seconds before looking up at his brother, a frown on his face.

 

“Yes, we saw it last week.” Theseus replied exchanging quick looks with his fiancée, even more confused than before. “I don’t understand what’s…”

 

“Why haven’t you done anything to correct this then?” Newt interrupted him harshly. He realized he was being utterly rude to his brother who had barely anything to do with it but he didn’t care. He needed answers and he needed them _now_.

 

“It’s just a lie Newt, written to sell these magazines and gain money. We didn’t see a point in even addressing it because it had no effect on any of us.” Theseus explained calmly “Besides, next year, when Leta and I get married everyone will realize it was a lie. Relax a little bit Newt, it’s not such a big deal.” he said smiling. Next to him Leta was nodding in agreement, a slight smile on her face too.

 

“IT IS TO ME.” Newt stated seriously, his voice raising dangerously. “You know I don’t read these dreadful magazines, the least you two could have done was tell me about it as soon as you saw it.” _Maybe then I would have been able to warn Tina before she saw it, and she wouldn’t have gotten so hurt by this whole a mess._

 

 _“_ It’s just an article Newton, besides since when do you care what people think about to you?” Theseus asked skeptically raising from his chair.

 

“I don’t care what people think about me, that hasn’t changed!” _I only care about what Tina thinks about me and right now she doesn’t want to ever see me again and it is all your fault._

 

 _“_ Then why are you making such a big deal about this? It’s not hurting anyone!” Theseus exclaimed, exasperated.

 

“IT HAS!” Newt shouted angrily. “IT HURT SOMEONE I LOVE” he finalized passionately. It only took him a second to realize what he had said and faltered. _Love? Do I love Tina?._ It only took him a few seconds to start feeling embarrassed and ashamed for have acted with a such behavior in front of his entire family and Leta.

 

His abrupt confession had surprised his entire family including his mother. Helena Scamander had her suspicions that something was different about her little boy since his return from New York. Every time he spoke about New York, he had this dreamy look in his face and a wide smile, like as if the time spent there had been the best of his life. She remembered the time when Newt told her about submitting his book for final editing. That day she had inquired about the perfect fitting title and asked him how he had come up with it. His cheeks had turned red immediately and he had just mumbled, saying that a friend suggested it. She questioned which friend it had been since as far as she knew, her son didn’t have many friends besides people he met on the field or in school. He had only said it was a friend in New York and changed the subject immediately. A few days later, she was having tea at his place when his assistant, Bunty came in announcing that an owl from America had just arrived bringing a letter for him. He had immediately stood up and walked towards the direction where the owl was standing. He let her in and grabbed the letter first, before asking Bunty to tend to her. The smile that had appeared in his son’s face was like nothing she had ever seen before and it remained there until the next day when he went to visit the hippogriffs. That was when she had started suspecting but waited patiently for her son to confide in her.

 

She had payed more attention in these passing days and every time she saw him, she was more convinced that her assumptions might be true. His smiles everytime he receives a letter from that same owl, the desperate insistence on wanting to visit America. She felt a little disappointed that Newt hadn’t confided in her with this earlier since they had a very close relationship, just like Theseus did with their dad. Newt knew he could always tell her anything that whatever would cross his mind and she would never judge him, like many others had done before.

 

Now Newt’s abrupt confession had confirmed what she had believe to be true for a while. Her little Newtie had fallen in love in America and that was the reason why he was so desperate to return there. He wanted to see the woman he loves. She watched the confused faces of her husband and older son. _Men! They never understand. They are not like my Newtie._ She decided it was best to help them understand what was going on in Newt’s mind right now. But she had to be careful not to embarrass her younger son more or else he wouldn’t open up to them.

 

“Newtie” she began softly, “why don’t you sit down and join us for breakfast so you can tell us how we can help you to fix this.”

 

Newt looked at his mother for a short moment before sitting at the table but remain quiet, just like everyone else. Still to shocked about what he just had said.

 

“Now, why don’t you tell us about her.” Mrs. Scamander said encouragingly.

 

“Her?” Theseus Scamander started, eyebrows raised. This conversation was getting more and more bizarre by the minute. _Who had mentioned a woman? It hasn’t been him and mostly definitely it hasn’t been Newt. He barely talks to anyone other than his creatures._ Theseus Scamander thought to himself.

 

“Oh Theseus, you might be a great auror but you are just clueless when it comes to matters of the heart. I believe our Newtie met a girl in America and she is the reason he’s been trying to go back there.” The older witch responded knowingly. “I will also dare to say that she has seen that article and believed it to be true. Am I correct?” She asked, looking at her son sympathetically.

 

Newt stared at his hands and replied in almost a  whisper, nodding his head, his voice full of pain “She said she never wanted to see me again” Mrs. Scamander walked around the table to embrace her youngest son. She could tell by the sadness in his voice that this girl is really important to him.

 

Theseus and Perseus Scamander were shocked by this revelation. When had Newt had enough time to start courting a young woman and why didn’t they hear about this before?

 

“Newtie?” Her mother asked soothingly, breaking the silence. “What are your intentions with this girl?” she asked tentatively, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, luckily he didn’t flinch..  “Am I correct in assuming that perhaps you have fallen for her?”

 

Newt didn’t even know himself. How could he reply to a question that he didn’t have the answer for. _Am I in love with Tina?_

 

 _“_ I’m not sure mum.” He said shyly, his expression pained. “We’ve only known each other for a few months.”

 

“What comes to your mind when you think of her.?” the older witch asked encouragingly. She could see how everyone’s attention was now on Newt and that would sure make him uncomfortable.

 

Newt thought about it for a minute. Immediately his mind was full of images of Tina, her beautiful smile and her pretty eyes. _She has the most amazing pair of eyes I have ever seen and everytime I look directly at those gorgeous eyes I can see everything she is feeling and fall into another world. She also has the sweetest laugh I’ve ever heard. Just listening to her laugh warms my heart. She is so caring and selfless, even when she wants to hide it from everyone. She is not afraid to risk her life for those she cares about. I just love everything about her… OH!_

 

That had been the moment he had finally realized it. They have been exchanging letters for months and she had never failed to put a smile on his face, even when he was having the most wretched of days. Memories of her always warmed his heart and if those signs weren’t enough to make him admit his feelings,  his constants dreams full of different images of a smiling Tina should have given him the final clue he needed.

 

He had been so lost in his own thoughts of his beautiful auror that he had missed the knowing smile in her mother’s face. _Oh Newton, you are such an idiot._ He scolded himself. _I can’t believe is taken me all this time to realize how I feel about Tina. I am utterly, deeply and madly in love of Porpentina Goldstein._

 

“Let me ask you again darling.” Mrs. Scamander said lovingly. “Newt, are you in love with this girl?”

 

This time there was no doubt in his mind or shyness in his voice when he replied with a wide smile. “Yes mother, I am very much in love with her.”

 

“Well in that case, let’s see what we can do to help you get her back…”

 

“Tina. Her name is Tina.” Newt corrected, his heart soaring. It seemed that whenever he thought about her he couldn’t help but smile.

 

“Well then, your brother and father would talk to Mr. Travers and Mr. Spielman and get you the permit you need to go see Tina.” she then turned to look at them before adding steringly, “Right?”

 

Both men quickly agreed to help. They were still shocked by the revelation that Newt had found a woman he was interested in. And even more shocked that she was American.

 

“Now that that’s settled. Why don’t you tell us about her?” She was excited at the prospect of meeting her potential future daughter-in-law. She wanted to know everything she could about her. “How do you met her! What she’s like!”

 

“Well, you see, it all happen when my niffler escaped from my suitcase in a bank in New York…”

 


	8. I play it off but I'm dreaming of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina spends some time with a dear friend and receives surprising news at work. She still can't stop thinking about a certain British wizard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your nice comments on last week's chapter!! :)
> 
> I hope you like this new chapter and please let me know what you think.
> 
> Very soon Tina will be reunite with Newt ;)

_ Monday, April 11th 1927 _

Tina Goldstein was sitting in her desk at MACUSA trying very hard to finish her report on a small case she had been working on last week. As promised, Ray managed to provide her some information that was ultimately helpful to apprehend the smuggling ring. It turned out that their main base of action was back in California, and New York had been just been their entry port into the country. They never left their “goods” there for long.

It had been a sunny and chilly Monday afternoon, only two days after their visit to Ray’s bar, Tina had been eating a hot dog, sitting on a bench in Central Park by herself. Suddenly someone had sat  next to her quietly and she was surprised to see it was her old friend, especially since he had been able to find her in a city is big as this one.

“You’ve always been a girl that sticks to her routine.” he said simply, as if he were reading her mind, before suggesting they take a stroll through the long park. Tina had accepted enthusiastically. She always had a good time with him, and he never failed to make her laugh. Ray learned that these people were not very dangerous or smart, in fact they were quite careless. The reason why they had been able to remain hidden so long was because they had been oblivating no-majs at the port and using the imperius curse in order to have them do their deeds. They moved the animals and artifacts from one city to another using a small truck they had “borrowed” from a store. He also mentioned that according to his many sources, a shipment would be arriving that same night.

Tina had thanked her old friend for the information and they had spent a few more minutes talking about other mundane topics content in each others company before he bid her farewell and disappeared between the park’s tall trees. Once she had returned back to MACUSA Tina informed Achilles about what she learned from Ray and explained all the details related to the case. The auror was quick to request permission and look into this, and even when Mr. Graves was reluctant with it at first, he authorized the night inspection on the condition of taking two other aurors with him and keep a small team on standby in case the situation required it. It had only taken him less that an hour to organize his team, 4 aurors would be waiting for his signal in a nearby cafe, while a young auror named Jason went with him to the port.

Once that was organized, he had walked into Tina’s office and asked her to join them in the port. She had refused at first, but eventually had been able to convince her to go with them. The three aurors left MACUSA at 08:00 p.m.. If Ray’s lead was accurate, the shipment would be arriving some time before 09:00 p.m. which gave them enough time to find a place to hide and avoid being caught.

It turned out that Ray, unlike Gnarlack, was actually right. A few minutes before 09:00 p.m., three wizards apparated into the middle of the port, and confunded the security guards and employees. Then, they walked towards a large ship with a British flag and performed the imperius curse in order to force the no-maj port employees to clear their boxes from the docked ship. Soon enough, all the packages were off the ship and were being transferred to a small storage unit. Tina heard a man who seemed to be the leader demanding that the boxes were to remain there until the truck returned to New York the following day. After closing the small storage with some powerful charms they disapparated into the darkness, leaving no trace behind them.

Once gone, the three auros had emerged from their hiding places and come close to the storage and after a few revealing charms, they had been able to confirm that the boxes in fact, contained illegal artefacts. They had also been able to find a big box containing three fully grown nifflers, looking unhealthy and lost. Achilles, as the team leader, suggested they leave and return the following day with a muggle car ready to follow the criminals when they move their merchandising.

After that, Achilles had gone straight back to MACUSA and requested clearance to follow-up the cargo until it reached its final destination. He was surprised to find Mr. Graves in the office, looking quite concerned. The aurors had informed him about their findings and he had agreed reluctantly to provide Achilles and his team with a car.

Tina returned her attention back to the stack of papers on her desk. She had been assigned to another accidental use of magic case. This time, it had been a baby giving her first signs of her magical powers. She had been at Macy’s store with her mother when the young girl accidentally made a few items from the beauty department levitate in the air, the little girl giggling joyfully as the mother watched, shocked. She was a good friend of Percival Graves and had immediately stunned the sales lady closest to them and sent a patronus to her auror friend, letting him know about the situation. As he was somehow linked to the family involved in the incident, Graves was not allowed to participate so he had asked Tina personally to take care of the issue instead. The young auror had accepted immediately and was even flattered that her boss was asking for her help. He had approached her just as she was getting ready to leave with the team and that was when her boss had requested her help.

“I’m really sorry for asking you this Tina.” he had told her apologetically . “I know this case might not be as fun as hunting for foreign smugglers but I honestly do not trust anyone else to be able to handle this situation like you. These people are really good friends of mine and I want everything to go flawless and well.”

“There will be other cases Mr. Graves.” she had assured him in understanding. Tina was a little disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to accompany her friends on this mission, but as she had stated, there would be others in need of her assistance.

That Tuesday afternoon, she bid her colleagues farewell and told them to contact her if they needed any help from the office. Once they were gone, she had left straight to Macy’s to study the damage. Graves mentioned that the store had been closed due to a “gas leak” and only the no-majs involved remained inside, concealed under a disguise spell. It had only taken her less than three days to finish her investigation and to obliviate the sales lady and other potential witnesses at the store.

Tina went back to the papers in her desk, she needed to finish this report today. She should have finished it last Friday before leaving the office, but she was so exhausted that she had left early and went home, going straight to bed. Once she submits this file the case will be considered officially closed. She finished writing the last sentence and signed her name quickly at the end before placing the documents inside a dark green folder. She stood up from her desk and went to leave the folder in Mr. Graves’ inbox.

Tina walked out of MACUSA a few minutes before 6 pm and once she reached a close-by alley, she disapparated to her destination. She arrived at the familiar alley and pointed her wand at the same bricks she had seen her friend had tapped at more than a week ago. The grand door appeared in front of her and she walked into the bar.

She took a few minutes to look around. Unlike her last visit, the bar was not as busy.  _ It’s a weekday after all and still quite early  _ she thought to herself. Tina studied the elegant yet simple decor. Different tones of dark red and gold were displayed across the walls and the dim lighting was darkening the room. The furniture was simple, dark wooden tables and matching chairs. A pool table stationed in a corner. The opposite corner was occupied by a grand black piano, where a young wizard currently playing an upbeat tune. The club was larger that she remembered, but this time there were no enchanting singer or dancing couples. Looking like this, the bar gave her a feeling of comfort, it felt familiar. She spotted him sitting in a table, a cigar in his right hand. A glass of some amber liquid rested on the table next to a stack of papers that Ray Sherbourne was currently reviewing. The simple view put a smile on her face and she walked animatedly towards her school friend.

As soon as he heard her approaching his table Ray looked up and greeted her with his signature crooked smile, “Oh Porpentina, you are finally here!” he welcomed, beaming as he stood up and hugging her, giving the younger auror a quick kiss on the cheek. She smiled at the mention of her full name. He knew how much she disliked her full name and that was why he had always used it when talking to her. “I thought you were not going to make it.” he added.

“I promise to visit more often, didn’t I?” she grinned, taking the seat next to him. “What’s new with you?”

Tina enjoyed a great afternoon with her old high school sweetheart. They caught up in what had happened in their lives since they had last seen each other almost 7 months ago. At some point he asked about Queenie, and she casually told him she was seeing a man, but didn’t elaborate much on the subject. It was Queenie’s story to tell after all. They shared stories and remembered a few anecdotes of their fun times together. She could always count on Ray to make her laugh, and that was one of the reasons she had decided to visit him today. She needed someone to bring back the happiness in her life once more.   

She had arrived home early on Friday, only to find Queenie packing her suitcase for a short weekend trip. Jacob had invited her to go with him to Baltimore for a Baking Competition which he will be participating in. The blonde witch had asked her sister if she wanted to go with her but she declined, explaining that she had a lot of work and cases, which was of course a lie considering she had a day off work the next day. Queenie, knowing it was a lie, let it go and respected her need to be alone.  Tina bid her sister farewell and wished her a safe trip. It had been once Queenie left that she felt a sudden feeling of solitude and sadness invading her. She had done so good at keeping thoughts of a certain someone away from her mind that week. Kept herself busy and concentrated at work. But in moments like this, when she was alone and didn’t have anything else to do, was when she could feel the pieces of her shattered heart.

In the end, she had an awful weekend, spent her time reminiscing about Newt Scamander, reading his letters and book once more. Why did she have the need to torture herself like this? It was something she could not understand. She needed happiness and laughter to come back to her life, so she had decided to pay a visit to Ray and she had been right in doing so. She left the bar that night, feeling a lot better and in peace. She could tell Ray knew something was bothering her, but as always, he had respected her privacy and didn’t pry the information out of her. She said her goodbye to her dear friend and headed back to her empty apartment since Queenie said she would be back by Tuesday after lunch. She decided to walk the few blocks between Ray’s establishment and their apartment since the fresh air always makes her feel better.

Thinking about her sister’s trip with her boyfriend reminded her of another trip they had taken only 9 days ago, with a surprising guest in tow. She had to admit that Achilles Tolliver wasn’t as bad as she had thought he was when they first met. She thought back to that sunny Sunday morning when he, just as Queenie had wanted, accompanied the Goldstein sisters and Jacob to the beach. Queenie had prepared delicious snacks for them while Jacob was in charge of providing them pastries. They had met up once more at Jacob’s bakery and disapparated from nearby alley into another one, closer to the beach from where they had walked the remaining blocks until they reached the sea. They had spent a pleasant day together, talking about different things, enjoying the delicious treats Jacob and Queenie had prepared, sitting in the sand by the ocean, the water was slightly too cold for swimming. The weather was quite pleasant, sunny but also a bit chilly. They had stayed until the sky was dark and the air was cool. The group stopped in at a small italian restaurant  that Jacob suggested, where they enjoyed an exquisite meal and a bottle of wine. As the gentlemen they were, Achilles and Jacob had insisted in escorting the ladies back to their apartment. Once at their door, Jacob had kissed Queenie chastely on the lips and embraced her for a few seconds, whispering sweet words into her ears.

The two aurors stood awkwardly next to each other, exchanging polite smiles. Tina would have never known that Achilles Tolliver was working the courage to ask her on an official date before requesting for good nights kiss in the cheek. He was beginning to have feelings for the younger auror but had been really careful not to think about it when Queenie was around. Like any other auror, he was quite skilled at Occlumency. He was not sure if these feelings could develop into something else, like a formal relationship, but he did like spending time with her and felt very protective towards Tina as well. He wanted to see her happy, to have that smile on her face that brightens his day.  

Before entering their building, Tina bid Jacob good night with a quick hug and waved at her colleague with a small smile. Queenie shouted her goodbye a few steps behind her. She mentally prepared herself for her sisters annoying rants but apparently she was so tired that she went straight to bed after a short comment on how a lovely day they had have and that it should be repeated again soon.

Thinking about that day reminded her that her good friend was away in a dangerous mission. The last time they had heard from him and the team had been last Thursday night. They sent a patronus to let Mr. Graves know that they were close to snatching the ring leader and that the case was a lot bigger than what they originally thought. She hopes that he and her teammates are safe and that they return to MACUSA unharm.

Tina arrived home a little before 10 p.m. and went straight to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa. It had become a habit of hers lately, she could never go to bed without it. She poured the hot beverage in her favorite turquoise cup and brought it to her room, placing it on her night table. She changed into her nightgown, a simple, long dark navy slip that reached to her knees. She reached for the hidden book under her pillow but hesitated for a minute before standing up once again and grabbing a different book from her sister’s nightstand instead. She read the cheesy romantic book for about an hour while drinking her favourite beverage before turning off every light  in the apartment and going to sleep, and for once in a long time, she did not have nightmares about Newt Scamander. She only a dreamt a beautiful dream where she was a trapped princess in a tower and he, her knight in shining armour, coming to her rescue.

In her dream, the magizoologist battled the fire breathing Hungarian Horntail guarding the tower where she was being held captive. (A tower from which she had attempted escaping in various opportunities before giving up helplessly.) Gentle and smooth as ever, he used different types of stunning and defensive spells before subduing the ferocious magical beast. Then, he quickly climbed to the top of the tower the no-maj way, an entered through the window of the small chamber where she had been locked up. Their eyes met and he strided directly towards her and embraced her tenderly before caressing her cheeks with his calloused hands and closing the gap between their faces,kissing her passionately, their hearts beating in sync. After a few minutes, they broke apart and smiled brightly at each other before abandoning the dark chamber with the help of a little magic. A great Thunderbird was waiting for them a few meters from the tower, ready to fly them far away to safety and to live a happily ever after.

 

* * *

 

_ Wednesday, April 13th 1927 _

Achilles Tolliver and his team returned to MACUSA very late on Tuesday night which could also be considered very early on Wednesday morning. The operation had been a success and they had apprehended the international smuggling ring. The story was so big that Madam Picquery and Mr. Graves had authorized international portkeys for all the members of the foreign press. A small press conference would take place that same day at noon.

Tina had walked into the Woolworth Building that morning in a much more hopeful spirit than in the previous weeks. She had even chosen to wear a nice light pink blouse and dark calf length grey skirt. As always, her mother's golden locket was proudly hanging from her lean neck. She had barely had time to walk into her office when Mr. Graves’ secretary Mildred rushed in front of her, she seemed to have been looking for her.

“Mr. Graves and Madam Picquery expect you in the conference room Miss Goldstein.” She said. “They said it is rather urgent.” And without another word she walked away, leaving Tina scared of what they could want to speak to her about.

She walked into the conference room hesitantly but was surprised to see Achilles, Jason and the other two aurors who accompanied them.

“Miss Goldstein” Madam Picquery greeted her with a respectful yet neutral look on her face. “Please take a seat” She immediately followed her boss’s request and sat down on the chair closest to her. “I have been informed by Mr. Graves and your colleagues that you aided them profusely in this case, even when you didn’t get to go to the field with them. Is that correct?”

“I merely helped Mr. Tolliver obtain some information that ultimately lead to the criminals getting arrested, Madam President” she replied modestly. For some reason Tina still felt intimidated by her.

“I’ve also been told that you would have accompanied your colleagues but Mr. Graves assigned you to a very special and particular case, one if I may add, you resolved quite efficiently and promptly.” the older woman maintained the serious look on her face as she spoke.

“Yes, Ma’ame, but it was a rather simple case really, simply a young witch showing early signs of her magic.” she replied once again, shyly.

“Regardless of how easy it might have been, it could still have endangered the secrecy of the magical community in North America and you managed to solve not only one, but  _ two _ cases in one short week.” Tina could see a slight smile starting to form in Madam Picquery face. “For that, Mr. Graves and I agree that you have earned the right to be part of the group who will be honoured today for outstanding service to the magical community. You will attend the press conference this afternoon with Mr. Tollivers’ team.”

“But Madam President” she complained, “I hardly did anything to help. It wouldn’t be fair for them. They’ve work really hard to trap and find these criminals. They should be the ones getting the recognition, not me.”

“Tina…” Mr. Graves said calmly, “We have spoken with the team and they all agreed that you should join them as well.” Tina looked around the table and saw her colleagues smiling encouragingly at her, some nodding in agreement.

“Come on Goldstein!” one of the older aurors in the group said, “You deserve this as much as we do.” That was all the reassurance she needed to accept.  _ It’s a good thing I chose to dress nicely today. At least I don’t have to run home and change into something else. _

The press conference had run smoothly. A few members from foreign newspapers, had questions addressed to the younger lady in the group.  _ “How do you feel being so young and breaking a case like this?”  _ It hadn’t been as awful as she thought it would be. Most questions were answered by Achilles and Jason, as the team leaders. Once the round of questions was done, the group of 5 stood proudly with Madam Picquery and Mr. Graves for a few pictures that would accompany the articles that will soon be published on them. Tina had smiled proudly at the camera, during their speeches both Mr. Graves and Achilles had thanked each member of the team separately but had praised Tina the most. “ _ Most accomplished auror I’ve ever met at that young age”  _ had been Mr. Graves exact words while her new friend mentioned how happy he was to work with someone as talented and skilled as her. Tina had blushed at that, not knowing what to say, but smiled thankfully at them nonetheless.

“Funny thing the press isn’t it” Achilles who was standing right next to her, told her, “all fighting and screaming to get the best picture.” Tina turned her head and smile brightly at him. She could hear the reports yelling different instructions at them, but they ignored it.

“You are right, it is quite funny, specially since they look like banshees” she said laughing lightly. Her comment made her friend join in with an amusing laugh of his own.

Later that night, Madam Picquery had organized a small toast with all employees to celebrate their big achievement. She still received critics about having Grindelwald disguised inside MACUSA for so long without anyone noticing it. This news will bring some proud to them, it will prove to the whole magical community around the world that the Americans were not as incompetent as they all thought.

Tina had enjoyed a nice night with her colleagues. She even had a glass of champagne, which she was told was a celebratory beverage that no-majs usually drank. She spent the night happily talking to people from different departments, with people she had never spoken to. Regularly, she didn’t like social functions but today, whether it was the glass of champagne or not, she found it rather appealing to hear what other employees had to say about this huge development.

Little by little, all employees started to leave to return to their homes. When a few people remained, most of them aurors, Jason suggested continuing the celebration at a local bar, “We could use some fun” he had said. All of the the present aurors agreed immediately but Tina politely declined the invitation saying she was too tired and was going to head home but wished them a nice evening. In reality, she could have joined them, but she had enough social interaction for one day and needed some time by herself. She went back to her office to gather her things and organize her office before walking out towards the elevators. She was about to get inside when she was stopped by Achilles Tolliver, requesting to accompany her home. She initially declined his offer politely because she didn’t want to bother him, but he was so persistent that she finally accepted.

Tina had mentioned before that she usually liked walking home, especially when the weather was nice outside. Tonight happened to be one of those nights so both aurors walk side by side, as Tina told him about the young baby case. It took them about an hour to reach Tina’s apartment by foot but they found plenty of things to talk about to pass the time.

A few minutes before 9 pm, they arrived at 679 West 24th Street. Tina stood awkwardly once more in the sidewalk next to her front door. She was trying to come up with a polite way to bid him farewell, but for some reason it felt too strange.  _ Should I hug him? Maybe shake his hand? A simple wave? Which is the proper way in which a woman should say goodbye to a man that is not courting her? Maybe I can just say it and be done with it? _

“Thank you for walking me home Achilles.” she smiled politely at him, “Are you going to meet everyone at the bar?”

“You have nothing to thank for Tina.” he said smiling brightly at her. “I always enjoy spending time with you.” he finished, looking at her straight into her eyes. She could tell he was studying her, thinking hard about something. She was momentarily distracted by a clicking noise close by, but before she could turn in the direction it had come from, Achilles Tolliver lowered his face to her level and started closing the gap between them. _Is he about to kiss me? Do I want him to?_ Her heart stopped and her eyes were wide, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, Newt Scamander’s face popped up in her head, he was smiling at her.

Achilles finally leaned down and placed a small, tender peck in her lower cheek, just in the corner of her mouth. She couldn’t think about it much because she was distracted by a flashing light somewhere down the street. It seemed that her friend hadn’t seen anything since he was looking at her.

“Have sweet dreams Tina.” he said smiling. “I will see you tomorrow.” he then turned around and  started walking away from her. Before he was too far she wished him a good night’s sleep as well. As she entered her apartment, two thoughts were circling around her mind.  _ Why did it felt wrong when he tried to kiss me and why did I thought of Newt? Also, what was that light? _

 

* * *

_ MACUSA, NYC, USA - Wednesday, April 13th 1927 - 10:30 P.M. _

The tall immigration officer was waiting for the last visitor to close the international portkey connection. A young witch walked in, ready to shut the lights off and was startled to see him. She arched and eyebrow and motion towards the portkey with her head.

“British” he simply said.

“I thought the British were always on time.” the young girl replied.

“Apparently not this one” he complained.

She was about to add something when a tall, blonde and langy young man walked inside the room. He reached into his pocket and retrieve some documents, giving them to the officer.

The American checked all the travel documentation and returned them to the British wizard.

“Portkey leaves in 5 minutes” the wizard said to him. “Did you found your stay with us pleasant?”

The British wizard chuckled and replied, “Actually, I did. I found everything I needed.”

  
  
  



	9. Desperate times call for desperate measures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scamander family tries their best to help Newt obtain his travel permit, but when everything fails he decides to take matters into his own hands.

_ Saturday, April 2nd, 1927 _

 

Perseus Scamander had always found it easier relating to his first born son, Theseus. He was after all, very much like him. Career driven, outgoing, and always following the rules, no questions asked. Theseus had been 15 years old the first time he accompanied him to the old wizard club. His son had charmed all the older wizards, with his knowledge of current events and politics. “You are raising a future Minister, Perseus!” one of his oldest friends had told him, impressed. 

His younger son Newton, was a different story. During his time at Hogwarts, Helena and himself had to visit the enchanting school more than twice a year because their youngest son had discovered a new way to get himself into trouble. Newt had accompanied him only a few times to the club, and every time they had to leave earlier than planned  due to Newt’s awkward behavior. He loves his youngest son tremendously, but he just has no idea how to relate and understand him. It seemed that the only topic that interested him were the creatures he so dedicatedly studied for years. Maybe that was why Newt always found it easier talking with his mother, who shared his love and passion for this magical creatures, and from which he probably learned it from. 

Perseus Scamander feels like he doesn’t really know his younger son anymore, and he desperately wants to patch the gap that seemed to have created between them both. That is why he found himself in this particular day waiting for his old friend Rudolph at the club.

Rudolph Spielman was an old wizard, originally from Germany. He had worked hard to build an impressive career at the Ministry and succeeded. As one of the Heads of the International Confederation of Wizards Department. Unlike, Torquil Travers, Rudolph had no secret grudges against Albus Dumbledore, so he might be more willing to help with his request than the Head of the MLE Department. 

Last Thursday’s lunch had been an interesting one. He could not remember a time when he had seen Newt as infuriated as he was the other night. The old wizard was not sure what surprised him more. Newt’s annoyance and rage or the fact that his son was courting a young American woman. An American auror. Perseus had promised his son and wife that he would try talking to his old friend, while Theseus would try the same with his boss. Just then the old Scamander saw the German wizard approaching him elegantly. He stood up to greet him warmly.

“Rudolph!” he said giving the other man a quick manly side hug. 

“Perseus! My friend!” he exclaimed, reciprocating the hug and and smiling widely. After greeting each other, both wizards took a seat in the comfortable cushions located in the old wizard’s bar. They ordered two glasses of firewhiskey and lit up a cigar each. They talked for a long time about current events and Ministry affairs. Later, Spielman moved on to family matters where he congratulated him on Theseus’ engagement and asked him about his family’s well being. “Hope Helena and the boys are okay” the old wizard had said. This had been Perseus’ plan, keep it casual until Rudolph moved on to personal matters in the conversation. As promised to his son, he would not mention Miss Porpentina Goldstein, only that Newt needed to travel to study some more American creatures for a second edition for his popular book.

“I heard young Newton’s book is fairly popular. All sold out. You must be very proud, even when he didn’t follow your footsteps and join the Ministry as Theseus did” Spielman said amicably. There were no mean intentions hidden in his comment.

“Yes, Helena and I couldn’t be prouder of him.” Perseus replied, smiling proudly. “Speaking of Newton… I was wondering if you could do me a small favor...”

* * *

_ Tuesday, April 12th, 1927 _

 

Newt Scamander emerged from the Scamander Manor’s fireplace surrounded in green flames and ash. 

“Mother? Are you here?” he called out, dusting the ash off of his trousers walking out of the living room. Helena sent him an owl the night before asking him to help her with the baby hippogriff she was tending to. Newt hesitated before replying that  he could be there at noon after attending some important business of his own. Newt was sure that his mother didn’t really need any help, but was merely very curious about how his meeting at the Ministry had gone. 

Perseus Scamander had invited his old friend Rudolph Spielman for drinks at a popular and posh wizarding bar. During their outing, he had inquired about Newt’s travel ban and had asked his old friend what needed to be done in order to lift it. The old man had answered, saying that he would try helping, but that Newt needed to be honest about the reason for his travel. They had gone to the Ministry briefly, where Spielman gave the Scamander patriarch a stack of forms Newt needed to fill out and sign. Before they left, Spielman managed to even schedule Newt a meeting for April 12th. 

After a family lunch that following Sunday, Newt had been informed by his father about the meeting and the forms he had to complete. Once lunch was over, they retreated to the living room for tea and dessert. His father went to his study room for a minute before returning with a file filled with different documents and passed it to Newt informing him those were the forms he needed to complete before the meeting at the Ministry. 

“But that is in 8 days from now. I’ll never be able to finished these on time Father!” Newt complained loudly. “Have you seen how many papers are inside this file?”

Before the Scamander patriarch could reply, his wife reprimented her young son.

“Newtie!” she scolded with the best stern mum voice she could muster. “Do you want to see Tina or not?” she waited until Newt nodded slowly. “Then stop complaining and get to work! Nobody said this was going to be easy!” So Newt had spent the best part of last week's gathering the information requested and filling all the 100 pages of parchment. 

He was truly thankful for his father’s help and he hoped his small chat with Mr. Spielman would be of help. Even when Theseus was not able to get anything from his boss, he had visited Newt the night before and helped him practise a few routine questions.

Newt found his mother feeding the hippogriffs and watched her for a few seconds, smiling tenderly. He had always found it easier talking with her. She was one of the only people he felt that understood him and accepted him as he is.  _ Just like Tina did, _ he thought sadly. 

“Newtie!” his mother greeted him cheerfully. She approached him to hug him tightly and he reciprocated immediately with tenderness.

“Hello Mum!” the young wizard replied smiling brightly at her. “How are the hippogriffs? You mentioned you needed some help?”

“Oh! Yes I did but nothing that can not wait until after we have lunch.” she explained innocently. “We haven’t had lunch, just us two in a long time.”

Newt accepted the offer, smiling at her. During the lunch, he had told her about his meeting. The meeting had gone well from what he could tell. They asked many questions about his work, his creatures and the reasons for his need to travel. He had answered all of them truthfully. Towards the end of the questioning, Mr. Spielman told him that they had some deliberating to do and that he should receive a reply within the next two to three days.

“That is wonderful honey! Maybe once everything is sorted we can get Theseus to schedule an international portkey for you!” she said cheerly. 

“Yes, I would really appreciate that!” Newt replied hopefully.

 

* * *

_ Thursday, April 14th, 1927 _

Theseus Scamander was listening to Rudolph Spielman talk about about the plans for transporting Gellert Grindelwald from America to England. According to the older man, this process was going to take longer than they originally thought it would since there were plenty of forms that needed to be submitted and the appropriate team of aurors had to be selected for this task. This had been the same conversation they had for about two weeks now. 

“Well what can you expect Mr. Spielman!” another auror had shouted out. “They are  _ Americans _ ” he added mockingly. 

“I will be more careful with my words Mr. McLaggen” he said sternly. “Remember the Americans as you so kindly point out, were the ones to capture Grindelwald. Mr. Scamander might have been a great help but he couldn’t have done it without the help of the other aurors.” Theseus grinned proudly at hearing about his brother’s and Miss Goldstein’s New York aventures. 

“Besides they have just made the papers again!” he said lifting The Daily Prophet, “A group of young aurors have just captured one of the most infuriating  smuggling ring. A European ring if I might add.” Spielman continued. “A group of criminal wizards that you, Mr. McLaggen let escape in two occasions!” he said angrily. He did not dislike Americans, he had a good relation with President Picquery, but what he did not like at all was reading how the Americans have succeed where  the British team had failed.

After a few more minutes, Spielman finished the briefing and ordered everyone to leave the conference room. Before he could leave, Theseus was stopped by him. 

“Hey Scamander, I just wanted to give you a heads up.” he said kindly. “The Department will be sending young Newton an official owl in a few minutes, but since you are a MLE official I’m technically not breaking any confidence policy.”  _ This must be related to Newt’s travel ban _ , Theseus thought. “Unfortunately, Trovers still thinks your brother is not being fully honest about his reason for his travelling needs and that he in fact has an ulterior motive, if you know what I mean.” Theseus looked at him sadly and slightly surprised. He was sure they were going to lift his ban and had not been expecting this. At seeing his reaction, Spielman gave him a sympathetic smile before adding.

“I am sorry kid but he can always re-submit his application in a few days.” Theseus merely smiled back, nodding and thanked the older wizard he had known for many years, since he was a young child dreaming about becoming an auror. Theseus peaked at the article on the table and was surprised when he read the name  _ Porpentina Goldstein  _ written under the moving black and white picture. He grabbed the paper skimmed through the article quickly. The article described briefly how the team of 5 aurors had worked hard for a few weeks to trap the wizards running an illegal operation in American soil. The article was accompanied by a picture of a team of 5 with Percival Graves and President Picquery. But that was not the picture that caught his attention. It had been a smaller second photograph in the right corner.

“Mr. Spielman” he asked tentatively. “Do you mind if I take this?” he added lifting the paper up carefully.

“Go ahead! Maybe you can share it with your team so they can stop underestimating Percival's team.”

Theseus thanked him and left the office hurriedly. Instead of walking back to his office he walked straight to the fireplaces by the atrium. He came out of the green flames at his parents house and started searching  for his mother.

“Mother?!” he called out loudly.

“In here sweetie” she replied. Theseus walked in quickly towards the sound of her voice, today’s paper still in his right hand, clutching it tightly. 

He entered the room where his mother was quietly reading a big book with illustrations of weird creatures dancing around the pages. As soon as she looked up, the smile dropped from her delicate face as soon as she saw his state. “Theseus, honey, what’s wrong?” she asked concern.

“I think we might have a problem.” he said concerned. “Take a look at this” he said giving her the paper he had been holding. 

Mrs. Scamander took the paper from his son and quickly read the headline and studied the picture behind it, smiling widely. “Aw, how sweet! Newtie’s girl made it to the papers! Wait until he sees this, he will be so happy and proud of her!” she then turned to look at her son confused. “I don’t understand Theseus, what seems to be the problem with Tina being a career girl?”

“Not that mum, take a look at the small article below” he said starting to get annoyed.

His mother quickly studied the whole page and Theseus could tell when she had reached what he wanted her to see. Helena’s eyes widened in shock. “OH… Has your brother seen this?” She asked, frowning worriedly.

“I don’t think so. He rarely reads the Daily Prophet.”

“Good. Let’s keep it like that.” she said decidedly. “He doesn’t need to know this. He will be on his way to New York soon so he can fix all this mess.”

“About that… Mr. Spielman told me today that his travel ban hasn’t been lifted. He is not allowed to leave the country.” Theseus said sadly. “What do we do now, Mum?”

“For now, let’s keep this from your brother. I will send an owl to your father and the three of us can come up with a plan.” she suggested and Theseus just nodded in agreement. “Come! I think we could both use a cup of tea.”

 

* * *

_ Thursday, April 14th, 1927 _

Newt Scamander was finishing with tending to the harmed kelpie when he heard Bunty yelling his name. A letter from the Ministry had arrived for him. Newt quickly rushed up towards her and excitedly took the letter from her hands, thanking her before turning back to the letter. He ripped the official looking envelope and unfolded the piece of parchment, hopeful.  

 

**Dear Mr. Scamander,**

**Thank you for your application. Unfortunately we regret to inform you that your authorization for international travel has been denied…**

 

Newt had to read the short letter multiple times to comprehend the content of it. He then passed it over to Bunty and asked her to read it in order to confirm what it said. The petite witch read the letter quickly twice before looking at him sadly.

“I am sorry Newt. I know how excited you are about this trip” she said kindly. “Maybe you can try again in a few days?” she suggested possing her hand on his arm gently.

“Yeah, maybe you are right.” he replied defeatedly, his eyes shining no more but overwhelmed with sadness.

Newt spent the rest of the morning with his creatures and all afternoon in his office, his faithful Dougal sitting by his side and keeping him company. He was working on some notes for a Ministry’s case related to Green Welch dragons. His case was open next to him, with Tina’s picture taped to it. She was sweetly smiling over at him, but he could also see a slight twinkle of sadness in her eyes. Today’s news had been heartbreaking. Now that he was sure that he had fallen in love with Tina, he couldn’t bare the idea of her hurting by believing he wasn’t . Just thinking about her name made his heart warm and tight, putting a smile on his face.

“Hey Newt?” Bunty said interrupting his thoughts. She poked her head into his office and asked if it was okay for her to leave earlier. She had received an owl from a friend from Hogwarts. She had moved to Spain after finishing school and was visiting and wanted to see her. 

“Of course Bunty! I will see you tomorrow, have a nice evening.” he said smiling. The red haired witch waved him goodbye and reminded him to eat something before leaving.

Newt decided to follow her advice and walked up to the kitchen. He saw today’s Daily Prophet laying in the corner, where Bunty usually left it after reading it. He had subscribed after returning from New York, hoping to see any pictures of the witch that had stolen his heart and who was keeping it with her across the ocean. He rarely read them, he just looked through them quickly, whenever he had a chance, sometimes maybe after a week. Searching for a familiar pair of dark beautiful eyes and radiant smile. Bunty had asked one day if she could read them, as she liked to be informed of current events. So he agreed and told her that she could as long as she kept them in his apartment as he liked to review them later. 

He  filled a plate with bolognese pasta and a tall glass of butterbeer and placed it in front of him along with the newspaper to his right. He looked through it calmly as he ate. Some articles were really ridiculous and infuriating, but as Theseus had said, that sort of news was what sold most papers. He abruptly stopped when he saw a pair of familiar looking dark eyes. 

Tina had been featured in the paper together with her fellow aurors. Apparently the team had worked on a major case together and as a result they have apprehended a group of wizards trafficking magical artifacts and creatures. He smiled tenderly as he  read the article. Tina had been quoted saying how important it was to care for the magical creatures as the were fantastic and misunderstood.  _ That’s my girl!  _ He thought affectionately, pride radiating inside of him. He looked at the photograph accompanying the article. Tina looked simply gorgeous. There were not enough words to describe how beautiful she is to him. She was wearing a light pink blouse and long grey skirt. Her hair slightly longer from the last time he saw her. She was smiling shyly at the camera, standing next to a taller auror. In the moving image, her companion put his hand on her forearm and she turned to look at him, and her shy smile changed into a brighter and happier one. 

Newt felt something burning inside him. He was not quite sure what this feeling was, but he didn’t like the way this man was staring at his Tina. He was going to push the paper aside when a smaller photo in an adjacent article made him choke on his butterbeer, his heart racing. 

“LOVE IN THE AIR? WORKING PARTNERS ACHILLES TOLLIVER AND POPERTINA GOLDSTEIN SEEN CUDDLING AFTER A DATE NIGHT”

The feeling Newt had felt a few minutes before suddenly intensified. He felt his heart beating faster, his face turning red and he felt a sudden wave of rage bubble inside. For some reason, he wanted to punch that Achilles Tolliver and yell at him to keep his paws/hands off of Tina. It hadn’t been the group photo or the ridiculous title of the accompanying  smaller article. It was the small dark picture underneath it. 

Tina was standing outside her apartment building, looking beautiful as always, that Tolliver man standing next to her. He had a predatory look in his face when suddenly, he leaned down in attempt to kiss her. After studying the picture attentively for many minutes, Newt realized that Tina had slightly turned her face, probably subconsciously and the auror had kissed her in the cheek instead but too close to the corner of her lips for his liking. Newt was furious but he was not sure who he was more angry at. The Ministry for not letting him see her? Stupid magazine for printing lies that made Tina believe he didn’t care for her... _LOVE HER_? That stupid, smiling Achilles Tolliver for trying to steal his girl? Or himself for allowing all of it to happen.

_ Damn legal procedures! I will go to Tina even if I’m thrown into Azkaban for breaking the law. But how?  _ He had to think carefully about his options. A portkey was out of question, so was any sort of magical means of transporting. Travers was so paranoid that he probably was monitoring all of them.  _ I could travel with one of my creatures, but that could be potentially dangerous and it could call attention to myself. Attention is the last thing I need.  _ He suddenly had an idea. He was going to travel back to America the same way he went there the first time, via a steamer ship. He had read in the muggle newspaper that a new steamer was making the transatlantic voyage in less than 6 days.  _ But the Ministry could also be monitoring muggle ports,  _ he thought.  _ They could be looking for anyone related to Grindelwald and people with travel bans, like me…. Wait a minute, that’s it! They are going to be looking for Newton Scamander. _

Newt grabbed his blue coat hanging from a kitchen chair and apparated straight to muggle London. He arrived to the filthy looking establishment and walked inside, immediately looking for the only wizard who could help him with his plan. Once he saw him, he walked directly towards him and after a quick greeting asked him directly what he had come to request. The man looked at him, smiling. He was always happy to aide wizards being unfairly persecuted by the Ministry, and Newt Scamander was as harmless as a baby unicorn. “Come back tomorrow night and I will have everything you need”

“I also need a ticket in the ship leaving from Southampton this Saturday. Do you think that could be possible?” he asked, a trace of despair in his voice. Whatever reason Newt Scamander had to travel so abruptly to America must be a very important one.

“Of course I can. Who do you think you are talking to?” he asked pointedly. Newt was getting ready to leave when the wizard stopped him, “Are you sure you want to do this Scamander? You could be thrown into Azkaban for this. Is this whole trip worth the risk?”

“I am aware of the consequences and yes I am sure.” he said before walking out of the bar.  _ She is worth this and much more. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her. _

Newt spent the next day working like nothing had happened. He had decided which creatures he would take with him and he would put them inside of the case as soon as Bunty left for the day. Around noon, he received an owl from his parents inviting him over for dinner. Newt had quickly accepted as he needed to start with his plan. He hesitated about telling his family about it.  _ I guess I could decide once I am there. _

As promised, Newt arrived at his parents house shortly before 7 p.m. The Scamander family including Leta sat at the spacious table in the dining room and kept a casual chatter while they ate. Newt could tell they were hiding something as they were constantly exchanging pointed looks. When his travel ban had been mentioned, Newt made his best effort at keeping the charade.

“I’m okay mum. I knew this could happen, I just need to try again which I will do in a few days.” he said sadly but hopefully. After dinner, they moved to the living room for some drinks and dessert and Newt told his family that he was going to lavatory for a few minutes. As he returned, he could hear his parents and Theseus talking about him, Tina and that article.  _ So they did know and they were keeping it from me _ ! Newt thought, both offended and surprised. He heard as his brother say that the best option right now would be for Newt not to know about the possibility that Tina had started seeing someone else, because if they had learned something from this whole mess, it was how reporters could lie to sell things. 

“As far as we know, he could just be saying goodbye to her. Any proper gentleman would escort a young lady to her home that late at night. Besides my sources at MACUSA told me that they held a small celebration for the team that run late into the night.” Theseus had said. “I’ve asked my source to keep an eye out on the situation, and he said that Tina Goldstein has barely said a word in the past three weeks. She spends her days locked inside her office working on small cases by herself, when she is capable of leading big cases like this one. During the weekends, she goes out with her sister” Theseus explained to his parents. “Apparently this Achilles Tolliver is a new recruit that seems to have a liking for Ms. Goldstein but from what I’ve been told it looks like she is oblivious to this and does not share his feelings. Also…” Theseus hesitated for a minute and lowered his voice before continuing. “My source says that she looks really sad lately, that even her male coworkers have noticed. Apparently Percival sent her home yesterday morning and asked her to take the rest of the week off.”

“OH! Poor child!” Mrs. Scamander exclaimed before turning towards her husband. “Percy we have to do something to help Newt! That poor girl is suffering as much if not more than him!”

“We will darling. We just have to come up with a solution” Newt heard his father say solemnly.  _ Maybe I could tell them about my plan and they’ll help me? _

“A solution that does not involve breaking the law” his brother suddenly added. “He could be taken to Azkaban if he leaves England without the Ministry’s permission.” Newt heard his family agreeing to this and decided he was going to do this by himself. He waited a few more minutes before walking into the living room and saying the food was bad on him and that he would be retreating home to rest. As he didn’t want to be discovered, Newt took the floo network back home and then changed into different clothes before leaving for his meeting. 

As promised, the wizard gave him everything he would need to achieve his plan. He thanked him and gave him 80 galleons as a payment. He thought it was too much but he didn’t care. All he cared about was seeing Tina again. Soon, before it was to late. He arrived back to his home and went directly to the basement. He had decided to take the niffler, Dougal and Pickett with him. They were the ones who missed Tina the most, the ones that had bonded with her the most. He finished preparing his case for the long travel and later wrote a quick note to Bunty stating that he needed a few quiet days to himself. So he had rented a small cottage in Dorset where he would try to finish working on his report and come up with the plan for his book’s next edition. He finished the letter asking her to owl his parents and Theseus the letters he was leaving in his office desk. He mentioned he had to leave as soon as possible and didn’t had the chance to send them. Then he wrote letters for his parents and brother, stating the same excuse, hoping they will believe them.

 

* * *

 

_ Saturday, April 16th, 1927 _

 

Newt Scamander had barely sleep that night. Due to his concern and excitement. He hoped his plan would work and if it did, in 6 days he could see Tina again. He changed quickly and grabbed his case before walking out his front door. He had decided to use as little magic as possible so no one would be able to find him. He took a taxi to the train station and then rode the 8 a.m. train to Southampton. The steamer was scheduled to leave at 11 a.m. so he would have a little over an hour to board and settle in. 

After the two hour train ride, Newt Scamander took a second taxi until he reached the port. He got inline at the customs area and waited to have his passport sealed by the immigration agent. The middle aged man looked at his travel documents then quickly back at him before sealing them and giving them back to him. He thanked him and started looking for his boarding dock. Once he found it he gave his ticket and picture ID to the boarding officer. The man review his documents before greeting him happily. “Welcome aboard Mr. Redmayne!” Newt was startled for a second but then remembered that for the next 6 days he would be known as Mr. Edward Redmayne, a young philosophy professor from Oxfordshire.

Once on board, Newt walked towards his cabin to settle in. He placed his case safely on top of the closet, hidden behind the life vests. He stayed in him cabin for a few more minutes examining his surroundings. The cabin was certainly nicer that his previous one. Bigger. He could now understand why he had been charged that excessive amount of money. When he heard the ship’s horn, signaling they were about to part, he decided to leave his cabin and go to the main deck. He watched as they left British soil and it was only when they reach international waters that he could breathe in contently. He had made it! He actually had succeeded and now came the hardest, yet sweetest part of his plan.  _ Seeing Tina again, asking her to forgive me, telling her how much I love her and requesting her permission to officially court her.  _

  
  



	10. I may seem alright but my smiles are just a front

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina Goldsteins enjoys some quality time with her sister and Jacob, but is haunted by memories of the British man she loves. Taking a chance, she finally opens up to someone about her true feelings for Newt Scamander.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Sunday another new chapter!
> 
> I want to thank @RedSnow1 for all her help writing this chapter.  
> She helped me write a specific scene until it was perfect. :) Thank you so much Marie! 
> 
> Thank you to @Loving_Leta my wonderful beta for all her edits and suggestions.
> 
> This is a really special chapter and I hope you like and enjoy it!
> 
> Please let me know what you think of it :)

_ Thursday, April 14th 1927 (Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday) _

 

Tina walked into their apartment and found Queenie in their bedroom. Case wide open on top of her bed. Toiletries and different pieces of clothing laying all over her bed. 

“Teenie!!” Queenie said startled, “Why aren’t you at work? Did something bad happen?” she asked, now worried.

“Everything is fine Queenie” Tina explained calmly as she sat in the small armchair in the corner, “Mr. Graves suggested, and by suggested I actually mean ordered me, to take the rest of the week off.” she continued slightly annoyed. “Easter weekend is usually a slow one, so they didn’t need that many aurors on duty.” Mr. Graves had actually ordered her out of the office after she had accidentally stunned two fellow wizards, spilled her coffee all over the conference desk and lit a small fire on the corner of her office. She had also spent the entire morning bumping into people distractedly. “ _ You are seriously distracted this morning Goldstein. Maybe a few days away from work will be a nice for you.”  _ From his stern voice tone, Tina had been able to tell that it was not a suggestion. More like an order. She had immediately agreed and left quietly and quietly. After all her boss was right : she had her head in the clouds, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Newt since the previous night. “And why aren’t you at work? And why is this place so messy?” 

“Mr. Abernathy told me yesterday that I could take the rest of the week off as well.” she said cheerfully, “I guess I just forgot to mention it.” she said apologetically. “As for the mess, I am actually packing for the long weekend.” 

“Where are you going?” Tina asked curiously, trying to hide her disappointment. She had hoped to spend some time with her sister. She felt that she had neglected her for the past weeks.

“ _ We are going to Bear Mountain! _ ” Queenie exclaimed happily. “Jacob won the baking competition and one of the prizes was a weekend for 4 at Bear Mountain Inn and before you start complaining, it was actually Jacob’s idea. He was the one who suggested it. I was going to tell you about it this morning but you left so quickly I didn’t had a chance.” Queenie explained as she folded a light pink dress. 

Tina was speechless, she didn’t know what to say. Even though she was grateful for Jacob’s kindness, she didn’t want to intrude on their romantic weekend. “You wouldn’t be intruding Teen, we both want you to come with us! I’ve already packed your things so all you have to say is yes!” Queenie said encouragingly. “A car is even coming to pick us tonight and everything! Isn’t that fancy?” Queenie said excitedly. Tina furrowed her eyebrows as she thought about it.  _ Maybe a weekend away from the city would be nice after all. I could visit the zoo or even try hiking. _

“Yes you could! You can do anything you want!” her younger sister replied to her thoughts. “Come on Teen! Please say yes!” Queenie begged with the same voice and expression she used as a child to get what she wanted. Tina looked at her sister’s features and chuckled lightly before finally agreeing to go with them. Queenie hugged her sister tenderly, a happy smile on her face. “We are going to have an incredible time Teenie!”

 

* * *

_ Friday, April 22nd 1927  - MACUSA _

 

After an exhausting long week of work, Tina was more than ready for a break. She only needed to finish her case report and submit it to Graves before leaving for the weekend. She had been sent on a special assignment Monday morning and had returned just the night before. Queenie missed her terribly, and so did she. That was why her little sister, with her charming giggle and sweet smile, had been able to convinced her to go out tonight. They had agreed to go to Ray’s bar and pay a visit to their old school friend, Jacob coming along as well. 

At exactly 5pm, the brunette auror grabbed her things and left her office, file in hand. She was on her way to hand her report to her boss when she bumped into Achilles Tolliver.

“Tina! How are you? How was the trip back to school?” the auror asked her with a wide smile. Percival Graves had instructed Tina to visit Ilvermorny School for a few days and verify that their security protocols were appropriate. Once there, she was also meant to secure an invitation to sit through a Defence Against the Dark Arts class and verify that the students were being taught the appropriate curriculum. 

“Hello Achilles. I am fine, thank you.” Tina replied politely. “The trip was really good. Actually I was about to deliver my report for Mr. Graves’ review.” she explained as they started walking towards their boss’ office. “How are you? Any fun cases you are working on right now?”

“I am doing alright, still working on the report about the smuggling ring. Madam Picquery has requested a few corrections.” he replied as they reached Graves office. Tina placed the file with her final report inside his mailbox before Achilles added. “Hey I was wondering, if you would like to go have dinner tonight?”

“Oh, I’m sorry but I can’t. I’m going out with my sister.” she hesitated for a minute but ultimately decided not to invite him to go with them. The auror had been acting weird towards her since the press conference. She was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable around him.  “Maybe we could go have coffee or lunch on Monday? Is there something in particular that you want to talked about? I can stay a few more minutes if it is important.” Tina added, distractly. 

“Oh, no! Nothing that can’t wait until Monday.” Achilles replied disappointedly. Tina hadn’t noticed that the auror’s invitation had been a romantic one. “Have a good weekend Tina” he said sincerely, before heading towards the exit, leaving Tina confused about his weird behavior.  _ Maybe he is just tired or stressed,  _ Tina thought to herself as she walked out of the building and to a nearby alley to disparate home.

When she arrived she found Queenie running around the living room, some pieces of clothing laying around all over the living room. Her sister was usually a tidy person, so  the recent state of their apartment surprised her.

“Queenie? What are you doing?” she asked, confused. The blonde witch turned, a startled expression on her features, which was a rare occurrence considering her mind reading ability. 

“Teenie! I didn’t hear you coming in!” Queenie said surprised, “What took you so long? You were supposed to be here at 5pm?” she added in a stressed tone. “Now we will never be ready on time!” 

“It is 5:15 pm Queenie! We said we will meet Jacob at 7:00 p.m.” her older sister reminded her, rolling her eyes. “We still have tons of time. Besides, why do you need so much time? It’s just us three visiting Ray. Not a big deal.” Tina said removing her light spring coat and hanging it in the coat rack.

“I’m sorry Teen! I am just nervous about tonight.” the blonde witch apologised, with a small smile. 

“Nothing to be nervous about Queenie.” Tina replied tenderly, “Jacob is a good man who likes you just the way you are. No need to dress up or wear layers of makeup.”

Queenie hugged her sister tightly, a big smile on her face. As beautiful as Queenie was, she sometimes felt insecure about men really liking her, just as she was. “You are right Teenie! He is quite wonderful!” she added, giggling. “Okay missy, now get off of those hideous auror clothes and change into something more… fancy.” Queenie ordered her, standing up and picking some items up that were laying on the floor. “We are going to have so much fun!”

“If you say so!” Tina replied unconcerned. The only reason she had accepted was because Queenie had begged her to go with them. 

“We will, besides you haven’t had fun in a long time.” her younger sister replied, “It will help you to distract yourself for a while.” Queenie added walking back into their bedroom. 

Queenie was right, she was so tired and stressed after a busy work week and most importantly, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Newt Sacamnder since the night of the press conference. Queenie had not mentioned it, but she had been able to pick up many Newt related thoughts coming from her sister’s mind lately. They were not the typical sad thoughts that had haunted her for the past weeks. These were nicer and happier thoughts, where her older sister and the British wizard were feeding the creatures together, walking around the case or working, sitting side by side. She was working on a case file, and him on his notes. But they were always together.

Yes, she thought. Going out with Jacob and Queenie would do her some good. She desperately needed a time out. Not only from work, but from her own thoughts as well. Having fun, no worries in her mind, dancing, and absolutely  _ not _ thinking of that British magizoologist that had stolen her heart all those months ago. All she had to remember was not to let Ray pour her many drinks.

* * *

_ Why did I allow Ray to convince me into drinking this thing?  _ Tina Goldstein had never tried firewhiskey before. She had heard from several witches from MACUSA that it was the beverage of choice of many men and was quite strong. Which was an understatement. The amber liquid burned her throat terribly with each sip. She was seated by herself, on a table by the corner watching Queenie and Jacob dance to the beat of the music.

“It looks like you didn’t like my recommendation Porpentina” Ray Sherbourne told her as he reached her table, pointing at the half drank glass of firewhiskey. “As I told you earlier, it might be too strong for a woman” he added smugly, sitting next to her.

Tina gave him a pointed look before replying, “For your information Raymond, I do like it. It just happens that I want to enjoy it slowly. No need to swallow everything in just one sip.”

The wizard looked at her, uncertain “If you are sure… I personally prefer gigglewater but if you actually like it…” Ray rose his hand and swayed his it in the air. A dark bottle and a crystal glass came flying towards them, stopping on top of the table next to him. He poured himself some firewhiskey in the glass and cheered to her before taking a big sip of the liquid.

“So, how have you been Porpentina?” the blonde man asked casually, putting his glass back on the table. “Little Goldstein mentioned you went on holidays?”

“Yes we did. Jacob won a stay in a nice inn close to Bear Mountain.” Tina replied, taking a large sip from her glass bravely. She smiled widely as she remembered last weekend. 

Queenie had been right, they did had a lot of fun together. As promised, a car came to Jacob’s bakery at 6 pm to picked them up and took them to the beautiful Inn located in Bear Mountain, a little over an hour away from the city. Even at night, the view was beautiful and Tina couldn’t wait to explore the whole place. The group had shared almost all their meals together and spent some time hiking and fishing by the lake. Jacob even organized a small picnic on Saturday afternoon for them to watch the sunset. 

“Sounds like a fun weekend indeed. I just… can’t picture your sister fishing or hiking” he said, laughing lightly. “Especially not in those shoes” he said pointing at the blonde witch with his head. “I do have to say, she and the no-maj do look very good together. From what you’ve told me, he seems like a nice fella” Ray added filling their glasses once more. 

Tina smiled warmly, turning to sneak a quick peek at the happy couple. Her friend was right. Jacob was a wonderful man and her sister was very lucky for have found someone like him. “Yes, he really is. I’m very happy for them.” she replied taking another large sip of firewhiskey. The burning sensation had stopped bothering her.

Her friend studied her closely for minute before asking a sensitive question she had never considered before. “Does it bother you?” Tina looked at him, confused about his question. “I mean does it bother you to spend so much time with a couple when you are single?”

“Of course it doesn’t. I’m very happy for them and appreciate their efforts to include me in their plans.” Tina replied quickly, appalled. “Only a bad person would feel jealous of her own sister.” Tina wasn’t lying. She did not feel jealous about their growing relationship, but it did made her think about a certain British man as well.

Spending so much time with the happy couple during their trip constantly reminded her of Newt. She pictured him there with them, smiling lovingly at her, his arms around her, shielding her from the chilling spring breeze. Tina had tried to give them some alone time and decided to visit the small zoo, but that had been a terrible idea. The small trailside zoo reminded her of Newt’s case, and the young man feeding the deers so lovingly reminded her of the way in which Newt Scamander cared for his creatures. A young, lanky little boy had been standing with his parents feeding the ducks. He had an excited grin on his face, pointing at them with his little hand. Both parents had looked at him, eyes full of love and care for their son. Only for a minute, she had allowed herself to picture a future where she was Mrs. Scamander, sitting inside the case, watching her husband and young son walking around the different animal enclosures, visiting all the magical beasts living in there. When she had taken a small boat ride across the lake,  she had been reminded immediately of their farewell a few months ago, the wind on her face as gentle as his hand against her cheek. 

For some reason reason all these thoughts and memories didn’t hurt as much as they used to anymore, they actually made her feel nostalgic. She had been thinking a lot about him these past few days. Gone were the horrible nightmares, replaced by beautiful dreams where they were happy together. All the dreams had been different from each other, but all of them ended the same way. With Newt Scamander kissing her passionately and professing his love for her.

“Tina?... Tina?” Ray said, waving his hand in front of her face to get her attention. “TINA!” the auror was so lost in her thoughts that she did not noticed Ray had been calling her name. 

“Sorry, what did you say?” she answered, bewildered, shaking her head lightly. 

“I asked you how were things between you and your auror.” Ray repeated filling their glasses for the third time.

“Who? Achilles?” Tina asked confused. Ray nodded, taking a tiny sip from his glass. “There is nothing going on between us. Besides, I don’t think of him like that. He is just a good friend, a colleague.”

“You mean to tell me you wouldn’t want to go on a date with him?” he asked with disbelief. 

“OF COURSE NOT!” Tina replied loudly and appalled. “What makes you think that?”

“I am just teasing you Porpentina. No need to get all agitated” he replied cheekly. 

They were soon joined by the dancing couple. Queenie happily told Ray every single detail about their holiday, while enjoying a glass of gigglewater. Every activity they had done, every meal they had eaten. The blonde wizard chuckled at Queenie’s retelling of her first fishing and hiking experience. Tina listened happily to her sister, enjoying her 4th glass of firewhiskey. She was starting to feel a little lightheaded. 

The foursome started catching up about their week, until a new upbeat song forced Jacob and Queenie back to the dance floor, leaving the two old friends by themselves once more in deep silence except for the light clinking of their glasses.

After a few minutes Ray decided to break it. “Tina, can I ask you something? But you promise to tell me the truth.”

Tina, who had been looking at her half drank glass, looked up at him before replying. “Yes, of course you can and you already know that I have never been able to lie to you.” she said with a soft smile.

“What is bothering you? I know you well and that’s why I feel that something is not right. I told you once that you can’t always keep things to yourself. It only hurts more.” he said solemnly. Ray Sherbourne was rarely a serious man. “If you need to talk to someone, I’m here to listen to you without any kind of judgement.”

Tina was not sure if it was the firewhiskey or the fact that she had kept all those feelings buried inside of her for a very long time. Also she trusted Ray, she had trusted him since that first night at Ilvermorny, when he had helped her sneak out to search for Queenie. So, she simply started telling him everything. How she met Newt Scamander, about their aventure from last year, how they had been writing to each other, his engagement. She told him how she had fallen in love with a man that lied to her and broke her heart. And how regardless of everything, she still was incapable of hating him. 

“I am afraid I will never stop loving him” she said defeatedly. “ I just want it to stop hurting so badly” she added with a small painful sigh. “But I guess I can’t blame him. I mean who could ever love someone like me? I am not as pretty or charming as Queenie. Or as Leta” 

“Porpentina, listen to me very carefully.” Ray said, aggravated. “I am truly sorry this had to happen to you. I truly am. But what you just said is pure rubbish! You are a beautiful and caring woman. Any man would be lucky to be the owner of your heart” he said seriously. “You and I might not have worked out, but that does not mean that you will never find someone. And let me tell you, that Scamander fella… he is the one with the problem if he is unable to see what a wonderful woman you are.” he added putting his hand on her arm soothingly. Tina smiled at him kindly, a few tears forming in the corner of her eyes. 

“Thank you Ray. I can’t see myself that way but thank you nevertheless” Tina said sadly. He was about to reply when they were interrupted by one of the elves. A problem has arised and needs Ray’s immediate attention. Ray stood up, annoyed and told Tina that he would be back shortly.

Once alone, Tina Goldstein felt like crying. Telling Ray about Newt had opened a wider hole in her heart and there was no way to cover it right now. She filled her glass with firewhiskey and swallowed up the full content in one sip. She was feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. The strong chatter of people talking and loud music were giving her a headache. Against her better judgement, she decided she needed some fresh air. She stood up, stumbling a few times on her way to the door. 

Once outside, she inhaled deeply and started walking aimlessly through the dark streets of New York. She didn’t know when she had started crying but the next thing she knew, tears were rolling down her cheeks.  _ Why? Why did I had to fall in love with him? Did I misunderstood his intentions? Maybe he only meant for us to be friends?  _ Her sight was blurry because of the alcohol and heavy tears. Her walk was unsteady and shaky due to the 5 glasses of firewhiskey she drank. 

Tina had been walking for quite sometime now. She was not sure for how long but it had been for a while as she had reached the Hudson River by the Manhattan Terminal. She sat in one of the benches located close to the bank of the river, staring at the water movements intensely. In the distance, she could see a large steamer ship docked at the terminal. She smiled sadly.  _ Last time I saw him, he was boarding one of those.  _ She turned her head up and looked up at the dark sky. It look like it could start raining at any time. The spring breeze was getting colder, and the temperature was dropping. Tina wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shield her body from the cold. In her haste to leave the bar, she had forgotten her coat.  _ Maybe it is time I go back home. Queenie must be worried sick.  _

The auror stood from the bench ready to start her walk back home but her feet guided her towards the river.  She couldn’t explain why, but she was inevitably attracted towards this pool of nothingness: there was something soothing about the sound of the ocean, about watching the tides come and go.  She leaned on the steel railing, looking hopelessly at the horizon, feeling the breeze on her cheeks already red from the cold. Tina smiled bitterly upon meeting her own reflection. Never in her life had she looked so… empty. She sighed.  _ Where are you? You said you would be back, and here I am, where we last met, and you are not here. Maybe it was all a lie then, but you have kept me hoping, Newt. I still hope for your return everyday. I long for your presence. It’s unbearable to miss you that much. I barely know you but I need you more than I care to admit. Where are you when I need you most? _  A single tear fell on the surface of the water, wiping her face off the water for a few seconds. But when it reappeared, Tina noticed something strange in her reflection. It looked like a blue stain by her side. How strange, she thought, bringing herself closer to the edge. She leant in, trying to get a closer look of whatever was going on, but her sight was blurry and suddenly, she lost her balance.  A yelp escaped her lips as she felt herself falling, but her dizziness made her impotent.  She was about to fall into the river when a pair of strong arms held her tightly, pulling her back gently against a warm body.  And before she could understand anything that had happened, she was back on the shore, surrounded by a scent that was too familiar.

“Tina? Tina, are you alright?” a concerned yet beautiful voice asked her.  She smiled dreamily.  She had heard that voice before. Dreamt about it so many times but she had to be imagining it, after all her mind was all fuzzy.  The brunette immediately turned her head towards her savior, hoping to get a grasp of his face, but everything was spinning around her. All she caught were those incredible green eyes shining into the darkness of the night. A green she knew too well. And Porpentina smiled bitterly, cursing at her dizzy mind for playing tricks on her.

  
  


_ Maybe I did fall into the river and now I’m in heaven, because that must be how angels sound like.  _ _ Even in death, the memory of Newt Scamander tormented her. Yes, she had to be dead because there was no way he was actually here with her. Why would he? His fiancée was surely waiting for him to cuddle near the fire at home, and his beasts had to be fed. _

 

She felt a heavy coat being placed over her shoulders and strong hands cupping her cheeks. Her savior was talking but she couldn’t make out what he was saying. She heard her name, repeated once or twice, and enjoyed the way it sounded. The Auror couldn’t focus on anything else and was feeling incredibly unwell. She was hot and cold at the same time, exhausted and drunk, helpless and desperate. _See Tina, it was a bad idea drinking that much. Now your mind is playing dirty tricks on you._

 

“Tina! Are you hurt? Please say something!” Newt’s illusion asked her desperately, softly caressing her cheek. That final touch was too much for her. Her head was spinning, her legs giving up on her, and the last thing she felt, as she lost consciousness were his arms closing around her, securing her body. She was safe and he was here… Was he?

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: There is nothing romantic between Ray and Tina. Theirs is a brotherly relation.
> 
> You can follow me on Twitter @bea_goldstein :)


	11. Finding my way back to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt Scamander arrives in New York.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Sunday, a new chapter!!  
> This chapter is quite special to me and one of the longest I have written and I really hope you like it a lot.
> 
> Special thanks to @Loving_Leta and @RedSnow1 for their constant support, for all their help and their suggestions. You are awesome! Thank you!!
> 
> Please let me know what you think :)

_ Friday, April 22nd 1927 _

 

Newt Scamander never thought he will be back here, especially not since the Ministry had refused to to lift his travel ban after his second hearing. Looking back, he didn’t regret any of the actions that brought him here. Closer to the only woman he’s ever love. Closer to Porpentina Goldstein.

He was standing on the main deck, looking at the blue waves. He could feel the cool ocean breeze splashing/sprinkling on his pink cheeks softly. The windy air flowing his long curly fringe away from his face. The beautiful New York skyline had a magnificent combination of purple, pink, orange and yellow. As the steamer approached American soil, Newt started feeling anxious, especially since this was not going according to plan. They were supposed to arrived to arrive on New York by Friday morning but due to to an emergency stop in Halifax, Canada, they were out of schedule and will be arriving close to 7 pm. It was a completely inappropriate time to visit a single young lady, which meant Newt would have to wait until the following day to see Tina. 

Even after six torturous days on board of the ship, he still hadn’t come up with a plan. He had kept a simple routine during the whole trip. He woke up early each day in order to feed his creatures and spend some time with them before heading to the main dining room for breakfast. Once there, he sat at the same table, facing the ocean, enjoying a  big bowl of oatmeal and nice cup of tea with some biscuits. Some days, he would observe some young couples with a sense of longing, wishing Tina could be there next to him.  He could picture her standing next to him, wearing the comfortable, casual clothing she love so much. A thin jumper covering her shoulders. Her beautiful dark tresses flowing gently around her face because of the wind. Her delicate cheeks slightly pink from the cold ocean breeze. They were holding hands, looking together at the bright sun hiding behind the strong waves and smiling brightly at each other. They were keeping a casual conversation, laughing lightly. Both of them happy to be in each others company. As the sun disappeared she would start to shiver due to the low temperature. As the gentleman he was, Newt would remove his heavy coat and cover her slender body with it, shielding her from the cold weather. She would smile brightly at him and kiss his cheek in gratitude for the tender gesture. Suddenly, she would lean her head against his shoulder and he would put his arms around her lovingly, softly caressing her back. It had been the fantasy that had popped up in his head multiple times.

He spent his mornings inside his cabin, working on plans to visit different countries and to study new creatures, with Pickett by his side, chatting away. After lunch, he would walk through the main deck,until the sky started change from a light blue to an lively mix of different colors, then he would stand by the bow of the ship to watch the sunset, never was there a moment he wasn’t longing for her presence.

Once the sky was completely dark, he would go back inside to have a quick dinner before returning to his cabin to feed his traveling companions and spend some time with them. After everyone was settled in, he would climb out of his case and get ready for sleep as well. He laid awake every night, re-reading every letter Tina had ever written to him. He could listen to her beautiful soft voice reading her words to him. Picture her sitting in front of him as he dined by himself every night, her radiant and sweet smile spreading throughout her beautiful face, watching him lovingly.  He had lost track of the countless hours a day he spent gazing at the frame picture of her. The picture he kept on his working table inside his case, always close to him. One night he had moved it and placed it next to his bed on the bedside table. That night he had fallen asleep looking at Tina sweet face, smiling brightly and lovingly at him. 

He had tried unsuccessfully to write a letter to her in case he was unable to tell her about his feelings when looking directly at her, but it seemed almost impossible to put the depth of his affection and admiration for her into words. There were no words that could ever be enough to express how he felt for her, how precious she was to him, how she had bewitched him in every way. She had stolen his heart and was keeping it with her back in New York. He had fallen in love with her back in December and he hadn’t even noticed it. Through their letters, his feelings had only grown stronger, but he had been a coward to accept them before. Now he merely hoped it was not too late. That Tina also liked him as much as he did. 

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the ship’s loud horn, announcing its arrival at New York.  _ Finally!  _ Newt thought animatedly. It would be  only a few hours until he could see Tina again. 

 

* * *

Newt walked out of the Manhattan Terminal, case secured tightly held on his left hand. “Okay, maybe I  should have planned this better!” Newt whispered agitatedly. “But how I was supposed to know that the ship was going to arrive later than scheduled? Now it is too late to find a place to stay at and I don’t have enough American money to pay for a muggle hotel.” Newt added, mumbling as he walked slowly through the sidewalk. “I don’t think a magical lodging could be an option if I want to keep this trip as secret as possible. Maybe I could conceal the case somewhere safe and stay inside for the night, it’s not as if I have never done this before.” his monologue was interrupted by his growling stomach, which reminded him that he hadn’t eaten anything since that morning. He looked around and found a hot dog street vendor close to the pier. Newt smiled to himself,  _ she was eating one of those the first time we met. While she was trying to arrest me, all I could think of was about that mustard stain in her lip _ . “Maybe I should eat something before going to sleep? What do you think?” he asked as the little bowtruckle in his front coat chirped, annoyed and still upset about his human friend’s lack of planning. Newt pull out his little coin pouch and opened it to verify he had enough to get one of the famous New York hot dogs Tina seemed to like so much.

“It is not completely my fault you know!” Newt defended himself at the accusing tone of his little companion as he walked towards the hot dog vendor. “You have to remember to keep yourself inside my pocket when I’m outside of the case,  Pick. We wouldn’t want someone seeing you, right?”

Newt stood in line behind a few people, waiting to get his meal from the shiny steel cart. There was a young and chatty man standing behind him in line that made small talk with him. He told him how he had come to New York following his childhood sweetheart but how she had left him for a rich businessman after a few months in the city. Newt felt sorry for this nice young man but found it amusing how Americans were very open people who like to overshare their stories with any stranger. When it was his turn, he asked for two large hot dogs and pulled out the coin pouch from his coat pocket. While counting the change inside to pay for his food, he fondly remembered how he came to obtain this particular change. It had been during his last trip back in December. 

Tina was playing with the niffler while he fed the mooncalves.  She was crouched down softly petting the sneaky creature. The niffler purred from happiness, loving the attention he was getting from the pretty , shiny human. He stood in two paws, trying to climb up into her chest having spotted her golden locket. Tina stood up straight, with the furry creature safely in her arms. She kept petting him and started caressing him on top of his little head while talking sweetly to him. Once she realized the tiny creature’s intentions she hid her necklace inside her blouse “I’m sorry little one. This is special treasure and I can’t share it with you.” Newt saw the hole exchange happen with a warmth smile on his face, loving the sight of her interacting with his creatures and how they seemed to adore her in return. 

The manipulative niffler started whining softly, looking at her with big, sad eyes, hoping to get the shiny object hanging from her neck. Newt was about to intervene and save her from the claws of the sly creature when  suddenly, he watched as she pulled some coins from her pocket and handed them over to the tiny creature to keep. The niffler touched her cheek with his tiny paw as a sign of gratitude as she smiled brightly at the sweet gesture. It had been a complete nightmare to take the coins from the niffler that morning, as he held to them like they were his biggest treasure.  _ Of course they were!  _ Newt thought to himself as he chased him around his case,  _ Tina gave them to him after all.  _

Newt thanked the old man after paying for his meal and bid farewell to the kind, but chatty stranger behind him. He looked around and saw how people gather around the cart and talk loudly. Seeking some peace and quietness, he decided to walk a few meters away from the cart in search for a nice spot to enjoy his dinner. The magizoologist sat on a steel bench overlooking the dark water and boardwalk. Then, he took one of the hot dogs from the brown paper bag, eating it in complete silence, turning occasionally to look at the blue waves from the ocean. He was so hungry that it only took him a few minutes to finish his first hot dog.  _ These are actually quite good. No wonder Tina likes them so much.  _ Thinking about her made him nervous. He still wasn’t sure what he would say to her. He started thinking about all the possible scenarios and what he could tell her, how he could apologize for not coming sooner, as he had promised her. Suddenly, he was interrupted by Pickett’s loud chirping. 

“Pick! I told you you have to stay hidden and quiet until we find a safe place!” the bowtruckle angrily jumped into Newt’s shoulder and started pulling his hair, clearly trying to point over at something to him. “What is it Pick?” he asked, turning his head towards the direction that the tiny creature was pointing to. Between the dark shadows and dimly lit light from the pier, he could distinguish a delicate female silhouette, sitting in a bench a few meters from his. Her shoulder length black hair and fair skin were poorly illuminated but even then he could recognized those beautiful features anywhere.  She was wearing a nice sparkling dark dress, very similar to the one she had worn when they visited Gnarlack last year. The translucent thin material of the sleeves barely covered her shoulders. She was looking straight ahead and he could see, even in the poorly lighted street, her watery eyes shining in the dark.  _ Tina? _

Newt stood from his bench, case in one hand, half eaten hot dog in the other and started striding towards the young woman with Pickett already safely back inside his front pocket. He saw as she stood up from the bench and walked toward the railing, gazing up at the horizon longingly. He was only a few steps behind when he saw, what he thought were a few tears rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly, something happened that made her lean over the railing and from then on everything seem to be in slow motion. 

She had leaned down so closely that she lost her balance and was about to fall into the dark and freezing water. He instantly dropped everything in his hands and reached for her and caught her from the waist, pulling her delicately between his arms. 

“Tina? Tina, are you alright?” he asked her, voice full of concern. He could see her face clearly now. It was damp from the tears she had shed  minutes ago, and her cheeks were flushed brightly pink form the cold. She seemed confused and dazed as she looked up at him.  Her eyes unfocused . Her lean body was freezing and slightly shivering, probably for her lack of coat. He quickly removed his own off and placed it on top of her shoulders, gently rubbing her forearms trying to warm her up.  Newt felt an unfamiliar warmth invading him as he held her slender feminine figure closer to his warm body. Even in this cold weather and without a coat, the magizoologist could’t feel the cold wind against him. He only felt a comfortable warmness. 

He lifted his warm hand and gently caressed her cold cheek with his thumb. _Tina you are so beautiful_ , he thought. The witch looked unwell, like if she had been stunned  by a strong curse. He quickly examined her to check for any signs of bruises but Tina seemed perfectly physically healthy. _But something is definitely wrong with her. I can tell._ Newt moved his hand to try to turned her face to make her look at him in the eyes, concern now spread across his features. “Tina! Are you hurt? Please say something!”  

It only took a few seconds for her body to go limp. Tina Goldstein had fainted in his arms and he was not sure what had happen to her, feeling helpless at that moment. The magizoologist looked around quickly, desperately searching for a less crowded spot where he could attempt to help her and for that he needed a few things inside his case. It only took him a few seconds to spot a dimly lighted street and making sure nobody could see them, he grabbed his case and disapparated them both towards it. Once safely there, he put his case down in the cold pavement, hiding it behind a big dumpster before opening it with his left hand, holding an unconscious Tina against his body with his right arm. He lifted her up in his arms in bridal style, and walked inside the case with her secured against his chest. She instantly snuggled closer to him unconsciously, resting her head against his shoulder. 

As soon as he finished descending down the stairs, he was quickly approached by Dougal who was trying to desperately reach out for Tina. Newt walked hurriedly towards his shed with Tina still lying unconsciously in his arms, Pickett safely placed on top of Tina´s head and Dougal following quickly behind him. He entered the small cabin and immediately made a quick wandless spell to transfigurate his couch into a comfortable bed. He tried to settle Tina under the covers but she clung on to him, clutching his waistcoat as if not wanting to lose his warm contact.  _ I wish I could hold you forever Tina but you need to rest.  _ Newt thought to himself. He love the warm feeling he got by having her in his arms. A strong need to protect her from everything and everyone in the world started rising within him. He had never felt this way about anyone before and that scared him. He didn't know what he would do if something ever happened to her and he couldn’t be there to protect her.  

He finally managed to settle her comfortably on the bed and cover her up with his wool blanket. He softly caressed her hair and attempted to push it behind her ear. Her hair was quite longer than the last time he saw her. The longer length made her beautiful features softer, almost angelic and unworldly. Newt played with the ends of her soft dark tresses thinking of how it was possible for someone to be so enchanting. He gazed at her sweet face not quite able to believe he was finally with her, even when it was not how he had pictured it. He had  imagined himself arriving in New York earlier that morning. He would have gone next to book a hotel close to her apartment and wait there for her to leave work. He would have stopped by a flower shop on his way to see her and buy the most beautiful bouquet he could find, one that reminded him of the sweet scent of her shampoo. He would have knocked softly on their door and wait to be invited in. Once inside, he would have given her the first edition printed of his book he saved especially for her and ask her to accompany him to dinner where he would have explained the whole article mess and what caused their their miscommunication. Later that night, he would have walked her home and kissed her cheek goodnight, with the promise of visiting again the following day.

Newt lean down a little closer to her and whisper into her ear lovingly what had been crossing his mind for the last moths without her. “I have missed you Porpentina Goldstein.”

Tina moved slowly under the covers, as if she had heard him.  As she took a deep breath, Newt was hit with the distinctive smell of firewhiskey, and he finally figured out what was wrong with her. Tina had been drinking and it looked like she had drank quite a lot, or at least enough to make herself ill. “ _ Oh Tina! Why did you have to do that? Don’t you know it’s too dangerous to be in this state by yourself. Someone could have attacked you or worse taken advantage of you.”  _ Newt whispered mostly to himself as he was sure she couldn’t hear him. He thought about what he could do next and after a few minutes decided he should take her back to her apartment.  _ Queenie could be worried, especially if she doesn’t know where you are.  _ The magizoologist turned to looked at the demiguise and asked him pleadingly, “Dougal, could you stay with her while I walk to her apartment? I don’t know if it would be safe to apparate with her inside my case. I’ve never tried doing it with another human before and I don’t want anything to happen to her.” 

The demiguise looked straight at him before moving to sit by Tina’s feet on top of the bed. Newt grabbed steel pitcher and filled it with water before placing it in a work table by the bed. “If she wakes up, make sure she drinks a bit of water please. She is going to need it.” Without another word, Newt grabbed a different coat from his chair and turned one last time to look at Tina, still not quite believing she was here with him. He walked back towards the bed and kneeled besides it, looking at Tina for a few seconds and hesitating before leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss on top of her forehead. “Sweet dreams Tina” he whispered gently before finally leaving her and his creatures inside the case. As he walked out, he could have sworn he had heard her whispering his name back.

 

* * *

Newt had been walking for at least thirty minutes before he could see the familiar brownstone building a few block ahead of him. He had gotten lost a few times and had to stop and ask for directions. As he approached the building he started feeling anxious once more. Queenie was a sweet person but Tina was her sister and he had unintentionally hurt her, so he wondered how the blonde witch would receive him. He was also trying to come up with a plan to sneak into the building without being seen by their strict landlady.  Memories of the stern sounding old woman asking Tina if she was alone started surfing into his mind. Back then, Tina had shyly responded “ _ I’m always alone Mrs. Esposito _ ”. Even when they had not liked each other very much back then, that statement had made his heart ache for her a smidge.  He didn’t want to get the Goldstein sisters into trouble with the old lady. Finally he decided that avoiding using magic was his best option if he wanted to keep his presence in New York a secret.

He briefly stopped and slightly opened his case calling for Pickett. The bowtruckle left the case reluctantly, whining about having to leave the other human inside the case. Newt chuckled lightly, Tina had only been with his creatures for less than an hour and they already prefered her over him. “I only need your help to open the door Pick. So we can get her somewhere more comfortable.” 

Newt walked the final blocks until he reached the building where he had stayed for over a week back in December. He put his right index next to Pickett so he could climb on top of it. He moved his hand gently and helped the bowtruckle reach the lock on the door which the tiny creature opened easily. The magizoologist entered the building quickly and closed the door silently behind him. He peeked inside quickly before sneaking up the stairs slowly, trying to make the minimum noise possible. As he climbed the stairs, he was reminded of the time when Tina had first brought him here. That time, he had found her a little intense and stiff, but that had been before he had truly get to know her and see the amazing person hidden under all those many layers. 

As he reached the Goldstein sisters door, his heart started beating faster. He stood outside for a few seconds, too afraid to knock on the door. He was debating whether or not he should yield to the temptation when suddenly the door open abruptly. Queenie Goldstein stood in front of him, and Newt saw how the hard frown on her face disappeared slowly. The blonde witch sighed in relief and a small smile forming slightly on her delicate features. “Good evening Mr. Scamander” she said flatly. “Well are you coming in or are you planning to stay there all night?” she asked sarcastically as she opened the door widely, waiting for him to walk inside.  Unlike her older sister, Queenie hadn’t changed a bit. Her shiny blonde, curly tresses still have the same chin length they had had a few months ago. They were styled in a perfectly fashionable manner he had seen in many young woman back in London. She was wearing a sparkling pink dress, and from what he could tell she had been crying as some dark smudges could be seen around her eyes, probably from her makeup. Unlike last time though, she was not smiling brightly at him. The younger Goldstein had her dark red lips in stern line, a hard expression on her face.  _ I was right! It looks like Queenie Goldstein is not particularly fond of me right now. _

As soon as he walked into the familiar and cosy apartment, a smile started forming on his face. Newt looked around quickly and realized everything was exactly the same as it had been the last time he was there. His gaze stopped on the man standing next to the couch, immediately recognizing the kind face of the man he consider a good friend.

“Jacob?” the magizoologist asked confused.  _ What is he doing here? I thought his memories were taken away.  _ The muggle baker looked at him for a few seconds before smiling brightly at him. He opened his arms and started walking towards him. “Newt! How have you been?!” Jacob said him hugging tightly.

“Jacob!” Newt said awkwardly but delighted. “I thought you were supposed to have been Obliviated!”

“I know! But i guess it didn’t work!” he said contently. “You said it yourself! The potion only erases bad memories and i didn’t have any.” he walked towards Queenie and put his arm around her shoulder. “And this beautiful woman filled me in on some of the bad parts.” he added smiling brightly at the blonde witch before placing a sweet kiss on her cheek. 

“This is wonderful! I am so happy for the both of you!” Newt said with a genuine smile, the first one in a very long time. Before he or Jacob could say anything else, Queenie interrupted them.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your reunion Mr. Scamander but if you don’t mind I would like to see my sister now” Queenie said firmly. Jacob looked confused between both wizards, not understanding anything. “That is exactly what I would like to know too honey.” Queenie added warmly, looking at her boyfriend. “But only Mr. Scamander can enlighten us on how my sister winded up inside his case” the blonde witch asked with an arched eyebrow. 

“Well… you see… I was actually…” Newt stutter awkwardly. Looking between the case in his hand and back at the couple standing in front of him. 

“I didn’t mean right now Mr. Scamander! As I said, I would like to see if my sister now, if that is okay.” Queenie said sternly rolling her eyes, she was losing her patience. “I would appreciate it if you could take me to her please.” Newt nodded quickly before putting his case on the living room floor and opening it for them to come inside. He led the couple down the stairs and guided them towards his shed. As soon as they reached the shed’s door, he smiled happily at the sight in front of him. 

Tina was sleeping contently in the bed, snuggled against his blanket, a soft smile on her beautiful lips. His niffler laid sleeping on top of the bed, cuddled against her body, his little paw protectively on top of her. Dougal remained at the feet of the bed, guarding her as she slept. The demiguise had turned his head towards the door as soon as he heard them coming in. Pickett immediately walked off of him, and jump around the shed until he reached the bed and took his spot on the pillow, on top of Tina’s head.  _ She looks even more beautiful surrounded by my creatures. They already prefered her over me.  _ Newt thought to himself, heart swelling. 

His thoughts were interrupted as Queenie Goldstein entered his shed, searching for her older sister. Once she spotted her, she walked towards the bed she was laying on and sat next to her carefully. She studied the young auror for a while and watched calmly as her chest raised and fell as she breathed. She gently grabbed her hand and stayed there with her for a few minutes, just listening to her steady breathing. After a few more minutes, she stood up and walked out of the shed signaling for Newt and Jacob to follow her.

“Why don’t I make us some hot cocoa, huh? I think we all need it.” she said before climbing up the stairs, Jacob following behind her. Newt remained in the same spot, looking longingly at the shed. He didn’t want to leave her alone.  _ What if something happen to her? What if nobody can hear her calling for help? _

Newt was so busy thinking about all the possible things that could happen to Tina that he didn’t notice Queenie coming down once more. She walked towards him and hesitated for a second before placing her hand gently on his shoulder. “She is going to be okay, Newt. She just needs to rest and it looks like she is quite comfortable right here.” Newt looked at her, surprised to be addressed by his first name. “You just brought my sister back home safely. I think you’ve earn it, at least for tonight” she added calmly. “Now come on, you still have some explaining to do” 

 

* * *

_ Saturday, April 23 1927 _

Tina Goldstein felt as if she had been run over by a train.  And she hated it.  Her head was pounding and she could feel an awful taste on her mouth.  She hated to wake up that way, feeling sick and dizzy. For a minute, she closed her eyes again, appreciating the quietness of her awakening, wondering whether she could drift back into unconsciousness. Maybe then, she would feel better? She had never been this exhausted, yet, she discarded this thought and decided to get up anyway. The world would not save itself. She sat up on the bed and moved her left arm absently, trying to reach her wand. She found nothing. Something was incredibly wrong.  It took her a few minutes to realize that her bedside table was not were it was supposed to be. She blinked a few times before opening her eyes widely and looked around her , alerted and confused. Tina growned, rubbing her eyes in order to distinguish her surroundings better. She was not in her room neither inside her bed, yet this place seemed quite familiar and cosy. Her auror instincts told her she should be scared and should start searching for a hiding place, but somehow she felt safe inside this unknown room. 

The soft blanket covering her smelled so good, in a welcoming way. She couldn’t identify the fragrance, but she was sure she had come across it before. The room she was in had many papers laying on top of a working desk. She could see a few cabinets in the walls, probably full with different kind of supplies. Many marked maps were hanging from the walls. She could distinguish a picture frame on top of the desk, a female face smiling back at her but she was too far away from it to tell who the woman was. She could hear a set of muffled voices talking quietly a few meters away from her, but it was not possible to tell what they were saying. 

Just as she was about to stand from the bed, she heard a loud gasp coming from outside the room, followed by quick steps. Her sister’s beautiful features peeked out at her from the door. “Teenie!” she said running towards her bed, sitting next to her. “You shouldn’t try to stand up so quickly! You could get dizzy and injure yourself!” she added trying to make the auror lay down once more. 

It took a few seconds for Tina to start to remember everything from last night. Her talk with Ray, the drinking, she leaving the bar by herself. She moved her hand to her temple and began to massage it gently.  _ Mercy Lewis! I’m never drinking again!  _

“You scared me Teen! Don’t you ever do that to me again.” Queenie scolded her older sister. “I was so afraid something bad had happened to you!”  _ I am so sorry Queenie,  _ Tina thought quietly.  _ But I can guarantee you I will never drink anything alcoholic again. My head is killing me and my mouth tastes as if I’ve been eating dirt.  _ The auror had her eyes shut and was now massaging her temples with both hands. Queenie stood briefly to grabbed a clean glass from the table and filled it with water before giving it to Tina. “Drink up! It will help with that awful taste.” The brunette witch accepted the glass and drank half of it in one large sip. 

“When Ray told us that he couldn’t find you we got so worried!” the blonde witch explained. “We looked around for an hour but he told me and Jacob to come back here in case you returned home” her little sister added.  _ But if you didn’t bring me back here, the how did I… _

Suddenly she was hit with memories from the night before, an angelic voice surfacing her mind. “ _ Tina? Tina, are you alright? … Are you hurt?” _ She still could feel the strong hands cupping her cheeks, the heavy coat protecting her for the cold. The bright green eyes, full of concern, looking at her. She looked around once more and suddenly it hit her, but she needed confirmation, to make sure what she had seen all happened. She needed to know she hadn’t been dreaming. That he had been there the night before, that he had somehow, brought her back home...

“Yes Teen, he actually did!” Queenie whispered, as a male, lanky figure peeked at them through the door. 

Tina looked up at Newt Scamander standing a few meters away from her in disbelief. “Newt?” she whispered joyfully but also scared.  She had thought it had been him, the night before. She had hoped it had all been true. And upon seeing his face again, his tender eyes, his shy smile, she realized that all of it had happened. That he had saved her from herself once more.

“Tina!” Newt Scamander said lovingly with a breathtaking smile. They stared at each other for a moment, emotion swelling inside of them both. Each had thought of the other daily for the past four months. 

  
Queenie turned her gaze to her older sister then at the magizoologist, completely ignored by both of them, a wide smile on her plump lips.  _ Well this should be quite interesting. I wonder how long it will take him to tell her he is not actually engaged. I could always help them a tiny bit… Maybe I can convince Jacob to go to that new Italian place close to Central Park…  _ As her sister and the British wizard stared longingly at each other, the blonde witch began thinking how she could help the two enchanted lovers fix this situation. Tina had helped her find happiness, even with the threat of losing her job. Queenie Goldstein was going to help this two clueless people to finally find their way back to each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Newt and Tina reunite :)
> 
> I wanted to keep it sweet and short as is their first reaction at seeing each other after a long time apart.   
> In next chapter we will see more about their talk and how Queen will helped them. 
> 
> During the night Newt told her about the engagement being a confusion.


	12. When I look at you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queenie and Jacob plot to help Newt and Tina find their way to each other, but... are their actions making the situation better or making it worse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! (to everyone celebrating it today)
> 
> We've reached the part of the story were everything starts to work for our favorite couple... maybe?  
> Thank you so much to @RedSnow1 and @Loving_Leta for all their help!! 
> 
> Thank you so much for all your comments, they really make me so happy and encourage me to keep up with my writing schedule, specially when I sit in front of my computer really late at night. Life is so hectic with classes and work but all your nice comments make me want to find some time to write :) This story is fully planned. I know what happens next and exactly how it ends. I just need to come up with some filler things that will connect the most important parts. 
> 
> The title for this chapter came from Miley Cyrus' song. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think :)

_ Saturday, April 23 1927 _

 

Queenie Goldstein was standing by the stove cooking breakfast the no-maj way with Jacob. He loved it when they stepped into the kitchen together and spent some time by themselves. The baker was a very patient man who loved to share his love for baking with others, which is why teaching the blonde witch a few simply recipes, was slowly becoming his favorite hobby. Today’s lessons were meant to be simple. Scrambled eggs and pancakes. But he could tell the younger Goldstein’s mind was not focusing on today’s lesson. Her mind was fully concentrated in the wizard and the witch sitting next to each other, silently a few meters away. 

As she listened to Jacob vaguely providing instructions on how to mix the batter for the pancakes, her mind was on alert mode, trying to pick up anything from the two fools’ mind. She kept glancing  surreptitiously at  Newt and Tina, who were awkwardly sitting in the living room, merely ignoring each other. From their thoughts, Queenie could tell that neither knew what to say to the other. Her sister was too scared to ask about his engagement, thinking that any signs of utter happiness from his part could shatter her heart even more. The magizoologist was waiting for the appropriate time to let her know that what she read in that gossip rag was nothing but a lie. Yet he still believed that it was a conversation they should have in private and once Tina was fully recovered from the night’s events. 

_ Maybe I should give them something to do? _

“Hey Teenie” Queenie called, turning her head sideways to look at her sister. “Could you and Newt start setting up the table? We’re just about done, right honey?” she asked Jacob with a small smile. Tina looked at her younger sister confused, then back at the magizoologist before standing up and grabbing her wand from the small coffee table next to the couch. She was about to lift her arm and cast the spell when Queenie added teasingly, “No cheating Missy! We agreed we would be having a traditional no-maj breakfast! No wands!” she smiled cheekily and turned her attention back to cooking.

Newt, who had heard the last piece of information, stood awkwardly next to the cupboard, wondering what of the many plates they had were usually used for breakfast. He remembered from his last visit that the Goldstein sisters own a fancy set of china that they used on special occasions. “Just the blue ones honey. No need to be fancy today.” Queenie replied to his silent question, smiling enocurangily at him. The wizards opened the wooden and glass door slowly and pulled out a set of blue plates and matching cups. He walked slowly and carefully to the table were Tina was trying to set a light pink mantel. “Oh..mmm... let me help you with that” he said, placing the cups and plates in the counter behind him an grabbing one of the ends of the piece of fabric just as Tina was reaching for it. Their hands brushed lightly, barely touching. They both looked up and stared into each other eyes in surprise and longing for a brief moment before looking away at the same time. They quietly covered the wooden table with the pink mantel and put some placemats before setting the cups and plates.

“Mmm.. Mr. Scamander?” Tina asked dubiously. “Could you please grab the cutlery? You can find them in the first drawer behind you.” she said looking down at the table, avoiding looking at him in eyes. As soon as she saw Newt pained expression as she called him so formally she quickly regretted addressing him in such way. But how else was she supposed to address man. 

“Yes… of course” he replied timidly, avoiding her gaze before turning to the back counter and opening the drawer. Newt felt as if he had been slapped in the face when he heard Tina call him Mr. Scamander.  _ I thought we were passed those formalities. Maybe she is more upset than I thought.  _ He turned once more, cutlery in hand, and silently placed it on the table as Tina set tall glasses in each placemat. Once their task was finished they stood awkwardly next to table, looking around the small apartment, avoiding to look at each other as they waited for the food  to be ready. Luckily for them, they didn’t have to wait long, for only a few minutes later, Queenie set a big plate of scrambled eggs and a tray with hot chocolate chip pancakes on the table. Jacob was finishing with squeezing the oranges anda pot of coffee magically brewed on top of the counter. 

Tina stared at it pointedly and asked her sister quietly,  _ “I thought you said no magic”,  _ signaling it with her head.

“I know what I said but we don’t really own one of those coffee pots”  Queenie answered defensively before turning to look at Newt, “Not worry honey! We didn’t forget about you!” she said grabbing the kettle from the stove and two tea bags from the counter next to it. “Jacob brought these from the bakery. It might not be as good as what you drink back home but they will definitely taste better than coffee.” the blonde witch added with a bright smile. 

As soon as Queenie Goldstein had seen him standing in their apartment door she had been so mad at the Englishman.  _ How dare he come back here after lying to my sister!  _ She was also so stressed about Teenie being missing, the worst scenarios had gone through her mind.  _ Maybe one of Grindelwald’s followers took her and will try to exchange her for their master!  _ But with a brief look at the magizoologist’s mind, the blonde woman had been able to catch a glance of Newt bringing Tina down his case. The memory couldn’t belong to the last time he was here as her hair was long and her clothes were the same as what she was wearing earlier. She had sighed relief that her sister was safely back home, but curious as to what had transpired between them. 

Queenie had been cold towards him at first, trying to protect Tina. But as soon as they entered his case she had been hit with thoughts of deep love and affection from him towards her sister.  _ If you love her as much as you say, then why did you get engaged to that woman? The younger Goldstein thought as she caught a glance inside of his mind of him softly placing a kiss on her sister’s forehead.  _ She witnessed as the magizoologist looked at Tina’s sleeping form with a peaceful smile, her mind was hurting from all the thoughts running through his mind. Queenie could tell that the British man truly cared for her older sister but was really confused as to why he had gotten engaged to someone else. Her anger had disappeared by the time they had reached the kitchen. She told Newt that they should let Tina rest were she was as she seemed quiet comfortable there, then the magizoologist had walked her and Jacob out of the case, not before ordering his furry creature to look after Tina and let him know if anything happened to her. It was over hot cocoa that Newt had explained that he was not the Scamander engaged to the infamous Leta Lestrange. “It’s actually Theseus, my older brother, the one who is marrying her, June 6th next year” Newt told them. He explained how he had had some issues to obtain the paperwork to travel back to America. “It took me longer than I thought it would. I was actually planning to come before my book launch and invite you and Tina to attend it personally but I was not able to travel back then. It was only after I got your sister’s letter that I realized what had been written. It was then that I started pushing to get my travel documentation. I’m sorry it took me so much time to return and for all the pain this has caused you and your sister.” Newt said honestly. Queenie could tell he was telling the truth, but she could also tell there was something he was trying to keep to himself, something that preoccupied him, hidden deeply in his thoughts. Something that concerned him, but that for him seemed not as important as being back here. Not as important as seeing Tina again. Queenie decided that she was not going to push him any further. If there was something he was trying to keep for himself she was not going to invade his private thoughts. All she cared about was that he truly loved her sister and that he was not engaged the taker Leta Lestrange or any other woman. She had smiled at him when he had finished telling her everything. She reached across the table where they were seated and placed her hand on top of his, “I’m sure everything will be alright honey. You just need to tell Teenie everything you just told me.” 

After Jacob left, promising to return the next morning and cook breakfast for them, Queenie and Newt talked for a while. She told him all about Jacob and how Tina had supported their relationship. As it got late, she had offered him a bed to spend the night, but he had politely declined. “Someone needs to make sure nothing happens to Tina. I will stay inside the case, so I can be close in case she gets sick.” Queenie smiled at the remark and went to sleep promising herself she would do what she could to help the silly pair in love. 

The foursome had a pleasant breakfast, with Jacob and Queenie doing most of the talking and trying really hard to fill any awkward silence. They asked Newt a few questions about his book and his creatures. Queenie tried to make him talk more about what brought him here by asking for his family. He had simply said that they were doing okay. The blonde witch watched how the magizoologist kept making sidelong glances over to where Tina was sitting. Her sister looked absent minded and withdrawn. She smiled and laughed at Jacob’s stories, but mostly stared at her plate and didn’t say a word. The brunette was trying really hard to avoid looking at Newt while he was desperately searching to meet her glance, attempting to start conversation with her. This was definitely not going as Queenie had planned. She needed to think of something else, something where they would be forced to t talk to each other at the least. Later, as Jacob and Newt clean up after breakfast, she was given the answer she needed. She and Tina were seated in living room. She was reading the no-maj newspaper Jacob had brought when she find an advertisement for a movie playing at the new theatre downtown, and suddenly a plan form in her mind. 

While they did the dishes, Newt had asked Jacob if he knew any good hotels around the brownstone. The baker told him he could accompany him to look for one as he had the morning off. He had left his assistant Henry in charge and the kid was really good and trustworthy. Before they could finish, Tina stood from her place in the living room and announced she was going to take a shower and rest for the rest of the morning. She bid farewell to Jacob with a smile and turned to politely wish Newt a good trip. “I wish you have a pleasant travel. It was seeing you again Mr. Scamander” with that she quickly stormed out of the living as Newt’s face fell as he watched  her leaving form defeatedly. 

“Not to worry Newt! As I told you last night, I’m sure everything will work out in the end.” Queenie said smiling as she escorted the two men to the door. She gave Newt a short hug and long, affectionate one to her boyfriend. Newt watched the couple fondly, as they wished each other good bye and saw as Queenie whispered something into the baker’s ear before kissing his cheek. The two men left the Goldstein’s apartment and ventured into the busy streets of New York. Jacob took him to a nice and spacious hotel, a few blocks away from the witches’ apartment. They were told the hotel was fully booked by a preppy, snooty teenager working at the frontdesk. Newt was about to leave when Jacob, as politely as he could, asked the annoying teenager to call Mr. Banks. It tuned out that Mr. Banks, the hotel manager, served at war with Jacob and was a faithful and frequent customer of the bakery. Jacob sneakily told his old friend he was passing by and wanted to say hello. He added that Newt was a good friend, who had served in the rough war as well but for the British army, and who was visiting for a few days. Immediately, the older gentleman ordered the teenager to give Newt one of the best  suites overlooking the river. 

Newt waited for few minutes before he was handed his room key and instructed to take the elevator to the 8th floor. He turned to Jacob and thank him for all his help. The magizoologist was exhausted after his long eventful trip and all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep for a while. “Thank you Jacob! I don’t know if I would have been able to wait any longer” he said yawning, “I haven't noticed how tired I really was until now.”

“It was nothing really.” the baker replied, smiling kindly. “Besides the kid was annoying me with his snooty attitude.” 

Newt laughed lightly at his American friend upbeat attitude. “Still, I really appreciate what you did. This is a really nice place, nicer that anywhere I’ve ever stayed in.” Newt observed, looking around the elegant lobby. “If there is anything I can do for you, please just say so.”

Jacob bit his lip hesitantly, he knew what he had to ask but felt bad for tricking Newt like this. It was the perfect chance, no way Newt could say no. Queenie had asked him before leaving the apartment to try to find a way to ask him.   _ I really hope your plan works doll,  _ he thought to himself before replying. “Actually, now that I think of it, there is something. You see… there is this movie I’ve been dying to see playing at the theatre…”

 

* * *

“Teenie hurry up! We are going to be late for the movie!” Queenie called out from the living room. She was standing by the coat rack, putting her light pink coat on. Despite the warmer weather, tonight was a cold night and the dark clouds in the sky indicated it could start raining at any moment. “Put something warm on! It looks like it will start raining at any time!”

“I’m coming Queenie! Five minutes!” Tina yelled in annoyance. Queenie decided not to push her sister further. It had been really hard to convince the young auror to come with her. The blonde witch had to use the old guilt trick to make Tina agreed to come with her to the movies. “We haven’t done anything together, just us two in a while. It will be nice!” Finally the brunette had reluctantly agreed. Her older sister had slept for most of the morning and well into the afternoon. They had a quick lunch together and spent a quiet and lazy afternoon at home. Tina had repeatedly apologized for her irresponsible behaviour from the previous night. “I know I scared you and I’m sorry for that. I promise I’ll never do it again.”  Queenie quickly accepted her apology and told her she should have thanked Newt as well since it was him who saved her life and brought her back home safely. Tina huffed in response but said nothing. 

Tina walked out of their room wearing a nice calf-length dark green dress, paired with shiny black flat shoes. She normally wouldn’t choose a dress as fancy as this one but she had heard that the recently inaugurated movie theatre was quite elegant. She moved towards the coat rack, unhooked her dark coat and put it on. She purposely did all of these slowly just to bug her little sister, who was stomping her high heel shoe against the floor impatiently. Tina rolled her eyes at her before saying, “Okay Queenie, let’s go!”

The Goldsteins took each others hands and together they apparated to Central Park from where they would walk the remaining few blocks to the Roxy Theatre. The beautiful and elegant brand new building had been opened for over a month and it was already a success, completely sold out showings ever since. Once there, they joined the long line and waited to get her tickets for the movie while Queenie chattered happily about how excited she was. “We are going to have so much fun!” she said smiling brightly. Once Tina had payed for both tickets, the sisters walked inside and were stunned by the majestic of the building. People had been right, the palace-style theatre truly was a beautiful and charming place. They were so distracted looking at the elegant decor that Tina didn’t notice when someone accidentally bumps into her. “Oh... so sorry” a familiar, British accent says apologetically. 

Tina immediately turns her head and is surprise to see Newt Scamander standing next to her, avoiding her gaze. “New… Mr. Scamander? What are you doing here?” she asked confused. Newt didn’t have time to register what had happened or a chance to reply because they heard Queenie squeal excitedly as she rushed to greet Jacob and they listened as she asked him what he was doing here. “Well you see, I was told by some of my customers about this place and how I needed to come. Once I helped Newt settle in, I suggested we should do something fun and mentioned how I was interested to come, so here we are!” Jacob said with his usual friendly, happy voice. “Oh doll, if I had known you were interested in these things, I would had asked you to come, both of you!”

“That’s fine honey! I didn’t think you were into these kind of places either” Queenie replied sweetly, batting her eyelashes at her boyfriend. “Oh! We could all sit together!” the blonde witch added animatedly. Before either Newt or Tina could decline, Jacob quickly accepted the offer and gave Queenie his arm to grab as he escorted her inside the movie room, leaving the magizoologist and auror standing awkwardly in the main lobby in silence. Finally, it was Newt who spoke up and suggested they should go in as the movie could be starting anytime soon. As they walked, they realized that the movie room was packed, no seats seemed to be available. They spotted Queenie and Jacob sitting by the middle block, two seats next to them. Without any other choice, they were forced to sit next to each other for the next hour and half. Not that neither of them was truly bothered by it though.

Deep down, Tina’s was so anxious for being in such close proximity to Newt. She knew she was being rude to him, but she didn’t know what else she could do. After seeing him standing in front of her this morning, she had confirmed her suspicions. She had fallen in love of the British wizard, but he has in love with someone else. The mere thought of his fiancée pained her broken heart deeply. That was why she had been trying to avoid him all morning, she wasn’t even sure what he was doing back in America.  _ Maybe he just came to brought a copy of his book as he promised. But I’ve so awful to him all morning that he probably changed his mind.  _ Tina spent the entire movie sidelong glancing at him, studying his handsome features, the many freckles that cover his face, they way his lips twitched when he was concentrated in something, how his beautiful green eyes shone with excitement at whatever he was seeing. 

What Tina Goldstein was not able to see was that Newt Scamander had also spent great part of the movie glancing at her. He studied her intently, how her long and shiny hair fall reaching her shoulder. He had liked her previous hair length but he utterly loves this new style. The longer length made her look ethereal, unworldly, it made her look like a beautiful nymph. Her beautiful, deep dark eyes shining with curiosity as she studied the screen closely, trying to determine what was happening in the movie, her pretty features creased when she was concentrated. Sitting so close to the American auror, Newt was able to perceive the odor of her sweet perfume. He couldn’t really tell what the movie was about, all he knew was that it was meant to be one of those monsters movies. His full concentration was on the enchanting black haired witch sitting next to him. 

Suddenly, a frightening scene in the movie made everyone in the movie theatre jump in their seats and some quiet yelps were heard. Newt was about to smirk and roll his eyes at the exaggerated reactions when he felt a soft hand clutching his arm lightly. He slowly turned his head and saw Tina with her left hand raised to her face, barely covering her eyes. A few minutes later the scene become even frightening causing Tina to jump lightly, scared by the monster on screen. She then turned her head and buried it into his shoulder, her hold on his arm became stronger. The young auror was clearly scared by the movie playing in front of them. Newt found her reaction sweet, how even when she was a scary, though auror working for MACUSA, a frightening movie could affect her and make her seek for some comfort. Newt didn’t care though, he was more than happy to be able to provide the comfort she needed. At first, he felt a little awkward being in such close proximity to her but he then relaxed under her touch and enjoyed the beautiful feeling of having her so close to him. 

It took Tina a few minutes to realize what she was doing and she lifted her head off of his shoulder, an apologetical look on her face as she quietly whispered “sorry” before sitting back straight on her seat.  _ You have to control yourself Tina!  _ she said to herself.  _ Remember he is an engaged man, it’s not proper behavior! But having him close felt so nice.  _ Tina turned her head lightly to the left and saw Queenie laying her head on Jacob’s shoulder, they were holding hands affectionately.  _ I wish…  _ she sneaked a look at the magizoologist sitting to her right,  _ I wish I could reach for his hand and laid my head on top of his shoulder just like that”  _ she wished longingly. She quickly shook her head and spent the remainder of the movie trying to control her impulses. 

At the peak of the movie, and the most frightening one as well, with only a few minutes left until the end, Newt felt a nice warmth on his left hand laying on the armrest. He looked down and saw Tina’s hand resting on top of his, squeezing it lightly. This time, her hand remained there until the lights were turned on, signaling the end of the movie. Tina removed her hand from his, and lightly pulled her hair from her face. It looked like she hadn’t even noticed what she had done. The foursome walked out of the theatre together and, per Jacob and Queenie’s suggestion, they decided to walk down the street in search for a nice place where they could have something to eat. The couple walked in front of Tina and Newt, holding hands and laughing lightly while the brunette and the Englishman trailed awkwardly behind them in complete silence. 

Queenie was getting seriously fed up with the both of them. If Newt didn’t tell Tina about his fake engagement by dessert time, she was going to have to help him and take the matter into her own hands. She knew they were both too shy to ask or say anything.  _ They are definitely made for each other! What an interesting pair!  _ Finally, they decided to go into a italian restaurant, the place was big and loud. A music group was playing some happy tunes in a corner, a few young couples were dancing right in the middle where some tables had been pushed aside for that purpose. They quickly requested a table for four and where seated close to the improvised dance floor. After ordering their dishes, Queenie and Jacob excused themselves to leave for the dance floor, leaving the auror and the magizoologist alone. At the movie theatre, Tina had decided she was going to be more civil towards Newt.  _ It’s not his fault he’s in love with someone else.  _ After re-reading his letters that afternoon, she had realized that he never implied he wanted anything more than a close friendship. His letters were full of affection and excitement, but where those signs of love?

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Tina looked up and shyly smiled at Newt as she said, “How are your creatures Mr. Sca… Newt?” He looked up at her, surprised that she was talking to him and addressing him so casually once more. 

“Oh… they are quite alright. I didn’t bring many of them with me this time. I thought it was safer to leave them with Bunty, and just brought with me the more clingy ones.” he said happily. Tina loved the smile that graced his face every time he spoke about his creatures. “Everyone you saw this morning inside my case, are who I brought with me.” 

“No mooncalves then?” the brunette asked as she took a sip from her coke. She remembered the fascinating creatures from his last visit, and would very much like to see them again. She also remembered seeing Pickett, Dougal and the sneaky niffler that morning, but had been wondering all day if he had brought anyone else with him. 

“No, not this time, sorry!” Newt said apologetically, smiling shyly at her.  _ He really has a sweet smile. Leta Lestrange is a lucky woman.  _ Tina thought sadly. They talked for a few more minutes, about her work and his book. He told her how he had hired an assistant to help him with his growing menagerie of magical creatures. “She is quite fond of some of the creatures and very efficient, if it weren’t for her I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everything” he said thankfully. “I keep telling her she needs to stay away from the most dangerous ones, but she insists on feeding them when I’m not looking. I sometimes wonder if it would take her losing her finger to start listening to me” he added shaking his head. They talked a little more about his creatures until Tina asked him about his family. 

“They are quite alright. My mom spends most of her time working with the hipogriffs and my father and Theseus  working at the Ministry.” Newt replied.

“They must be really excited about the wedding” Tina said, voice trembling before kicking herself for saying that out loud.  _ Seriously Tina! Do you really want to hear about his wedding plans with another woman? How silly you are!  _

“Well, they are a bit stressed you know. Theseus is the heir after all, so they’re planning a big wedding in my parents estate, perhaps even inviting the Minister.  I don’t think Leta or Theseus care much about details but they really are happy. They didn’t want such a long engagement but Theseus can’t get any time off until Grindelwald’s trial is over.” As Tina listened to him talked about his wedding she felt as if her heart was shattering again.  _ You and your big mouth! Why did you have to as… Wait! Why is he talking about her brother as if he is the one getting married?  _

“I’m sorry!” she interrupted him. “I don’t think I understand. What does your brother have to do with the planning of the wedding?” She knew Newt was a nice man, but no one would allow someone else plan his wedding for him, right?

“Well, you would think his opinion is important. Considering he is the one marrying Leta…” Newt answered awkwardly. And he had finally said it. He had been feeling desperate the whole day, trying to find the best moment to tell her. As if the universe had blessed him, it had happen that it had been Tina herself the one to give him an opening start to reveal the truth. 

Tina was dumbfounded.  _ Had she heard him correctly? He wasn’t engaged to Leta? “ _ B-But the magazine…”

“The magazine mistook me for my brother, they tend to do that sometimes. Theseus told me he didn’t bother correcting it because he believed it was not necessary.”

Tina was shocked, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  _ Newt is not engaged to anyone, but then… oh god! THE LETTER! He must think I’m crazy! He has to think I hate him with how awful I’ve been towards him the whole day!  _ She had so many questions, so many things she wanted to say, but unfortunately, Queenie and Jacob returned to the table, followed by their food. 

After that short exchange, Tina and Newt didn’t have a chance to be alone again. She was hoping to talk to him again, once Queenie went to sleep. But as they walked by a fancy hotel close to their apartment she realized that in her haste to be away from him, she hadn’t asked him if he needed a place to stay when Jacob asked Newt if he liked his hotel room. The British wizard nodded and thanked him for helping find such a nice place to stay. 

They both escorted the Goldstein sisters back to the brownstone. Once they arrived, the couple kissed each other good night, as Tina and Newt stood awkwardly next to each other. Now that she knew the truth, she didn’t know what she was supposed to say. She wanted to say something, but nothing came to her mind. Should she apologize? Was Newt the one who needed to apologize? She didn’t have to think any further because a few seconds later, before she could say anything else, Newt bid everyone farewell. He stopped to look at her longingly, as if he wanted to say something, but only smiled shyly at her before walking down the street quickly. 

Tina watched his disappearing form, walking away from her.  _ This time is your fault!  _ she thought.  _ You’ve been pushing him away for the longest time!. He probably thinks you don’t even care about him. But does he care about me? Does he feel the same as I do?  _ She could feel a few tears start spilling from her eyes and down her cheeks, her sister’s presence standing next to her.  “Don’t worry Teenie! You can think about it tonight and talk to him tomorrow.”

“How..?” Tina asked helplessly. 

“Jacob went to catch up with him and invite him to the bakery for breakfast tomorrow. We could meet them there if you want and maybe go somewhere else afterwards. Somewhere more quiet, away from the city where you two could talk.” Queenie said sweetly. Tina smiled thankfully at her and both witches walked inside their apartment together. The blonde witch made some cocoa for them before they went to sleep. Even when she was very tired, Tina couldn’t sleep. Many thoughts were running through her head. She quietly pulled Newt’s letters out, and started re-reading them once more, imagine his gentle voice reading them to her. It was like this that the brunette witch fell asleep, with a content smile on her face. She could feel the fragments of her heart slowly picking themselves up, and maybe just maybe, everything would be alright again.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT:  
> Newt has not tell Queenie what he did. In case something goes wrong, he doesn't want the Goldstein to get in trouble for helping a "criminal". 
> 
> I made up the movie as I couldn't find any scary movie release at that date. There was one by June 1927, but isn't fit my timeline. The movie theatre is real and was very popular back then.


	13. What’s going on in that beautiful mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and Tina spent a lovely Sunday together and finally have a very important conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I’m so sorry for the delayed in posting this chapter. This past two weeks have been crazy busy with classes and work. This chapter is really important for the story and I enjoyed very much writing it. This is a turning point where Newt and Tina start to lower their shields and be truly honest with each other. 
> 
> Unfortunately, only half of the chapter is betated and English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes. 
> 
> As always, thank you to @RedSnow1 for her constant support and advice and the thousand hours of brainstorming. Thanks to @Loving_Lete for her amazing beta abilities. You always seem to find the exact word I was thinking off. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think :)

_Monday, April 25, 1927_

 

Tina Goldstein woke up on Monday morning well rested. She hadn’t had any nightmares or weird dreams during the night. For the first time in weeks, she dreamt of a bright future, watching a tiny toddler with messy light hair and green eyes and a childish grin, running around a beautiful meadow, chasing a niffler down. Tina smiled brightly as she got out of bed and started getting ready for the day. She put on nice grey trousers and a light blue short sleeved blouse before walking towards the kitchen to brew her favorite blend of coffee. She drank the steaming cup quietly, trying not to wake her sleeping sister. The brunette liked arriving early to work because of the quietness and tranquility it gave her, since people usually didn’t arrive before 9:00 a.m. Once finished, she rinsed her favorite blue cup, grabbed her light spring jacket and disapparated from the alley next to the brownstone.

As planned, she arrived to MACUSA around 8:15 and immediately started going through the new file she had found on top of her desk, possibly left by Mr. Graves who had placed it there over the weekend. The file contain some leads that needed to be verified, it was not common but, every once in a while, witnesses gave false information to avoid being arrested. Tina tried really hard to concentrate on the documents in front of her, but her mind couldn’t stop reminiscing about this past weekend, particularly about their Sunday outing.

As promised, she and Queenie went to Kowalski’s Bakery for breakfast that Sunday morning. Tina had been up since 5:00 a.m., being unable to fall back to sleep and decided to read Newt’s book until Queenie woke up. She grabbed her copy from her night table, where she had put it the night before and started reading it silently. She was so immersed in her favorite book that she failed to notice her younger sister watching her cheekily from her bed. “Haven’t you read that book already Teen?”

Tina grabbed the worn-out envelope she kept safe inside her book and marked the page she was currently reading before replying sternly, “Yes I have, but I find it quite interesting and informative if you must know. Also, you never know when I might get a case involving a creature.” she added innocently.

Queenie looked at her older sister with a smirk before dubiously replying, “If you say so. You are the auror after all.” The blonde witch stood from her bed and went to open the curtains. “The sun is already out, we should get ready if we want to have breakfast with Jacob and Newt. I told him we would  be there by 8.” She then walked towards her closet and took out a nice pale pink dress and matching shoes before leaving their shared bedroom to take a shower.

As she watched her sister leaving, she stood up and made her bed, humming a happy beat she had heard somewhere before. She opened her closet side and for the first time in her whole life, Tina Goldstein found herself in a predicament. She couldn’t find anything to wear. Usually she grabbed the first thing she could reach and saved her nicer dresses for special occasions, but this morning not even her nicest dresses seemed to convince her. She couldn’t tell how long she stayed in front of her closet, just staring at her clothing but it must have been a while since she heard her sister walking back into their room. “Teenie? Is something wrong?” the young witch asked.

Tina turned around and looked at her sister, then back at her closet, thinking to herself momentarily. _This is so silly! I should just pick something and start getting ready! But… I wish just for once, that I could look as beautiful as Queenie._

“Don’t be silly Teenie! Of course you are very beautiful and you look beautiful regardless of what you wear!” Queenie said sweetly.

“You are just saying that because you are my sister.” Tina replied defeatedly and feeling slightly sad.

The younger Goldstein walked towards her and gave her a warm hug before saying, “I’m not saying so just because I’m your sister. I’m saying it because is the true! Besides… I’m not the only one who thinks so…” Tina looked at her, confused. _What are you talking about?_

“Well, a certain Englishmen thought you looked rather beautiful last night.” Queenie added smiling conspiratively.  She winked at her and suddenly, her expression lighted up. “I have an idea. Why don’t you go take a warm shower and I will pick something for you.”  Tina nodded her head approvingly before grabbing her bath stuff and walking out of the room.

* * *

 

The Goldstein sisters apparated to a nearby alley and walked the rest of the way to the bakery. Queenie could tell that Tina was getting really nervous about seeing Newt again. _What if he is mad for the dismissive way I’ve been treating him since he arrived? He’s been nothing but sweet to me and I’ve only been rude to him… Should I bring up the magazine thing, or maybe… should I wait for him to mention it? What if he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore?... Maybe I should have worn something else… “_ Teenie! Please stop it! You are giving me a headache.”

“I’m sorry Queenie, I’m just really nervous!” the brunette said apologetically. Sometimes she forgot Queenie could read her thoughts, and wasn’t a particular fan of her older sister’s overthinking.

“As I said earlier, you are being silly Teen! Newt is really happy to be back in New York. He is probably just as nervous as you are and what I remember from his last visit, he is not particularly good with words either.” Queenie replied, in encouragement. Tina smiled back at her, silently thanking her for her attempt to make her feel better. The blonde witch might be the youngest in age, but she always found a way to make her sister feel better when she was feeling sad or insecure. Tina took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before resuming their walk with slightly more confidence.

By the time they arrived at Kowalski’s, the bakery was full with customers trying to get some of the delicious pastries for their breakfast. As soon as they walked inside, Jacob spotted them from his place behind the counter and waved at them happily. He signalled towards the right corner of the room where the sisters spotted a lanky, young man sitting next to a small table, a notebook in his hand. Queenie grabbed her sister’s arm and dragged her across the bakery towards the table occupied by Newt. “Good morning Newt!” Queenie greeted cheerfully, startling the magizoologist. He looked up but not in her direction, he turned his head towards Tina and stared at her, speechless. She was wearing a nice mid calf length grey dress with a thin strap across her narrow waist. The elbow length sleeves were made from a different, thinner material. Her dark hair was falling freely, reaching just below her shoulder and unlike every other woman at the bakery she wasn’t wearing any make-up. _She looks so beautiful,_ he thought dreamily.

“Good morning Newt” Tina greeted shyly, looking at him with a small smile.

“Hi Tina” he replied in almost a whisper and an equally shy smile before greeting Queenie. The three sat at the table for a few minutes talking about how happy they were for Jacob’s success, and the fact that he remembered mostly everything from last year which lead them to talk more about his creatures and if there were any possible plans for a second book. Once the morning rush started dying down, they were joined by Jacob and finally started their breakfast. The no-maj had baked something special for his friends, a family recipe he wasn’t ready to share with his customers yet. After finishing breakfast, for which Newt and Tina had mostly remained silent, but merely staring at each other when the other one wasn’t looking, the blonde witch started suggesting activities for the rest of the day. Feeling that she needed some help, Jacob suggested going to Coney Island, to which everyone in the group agreed with. It had been a long time since the sisters had gone there but everytime they did, they always had an incredible time.

“How far is this place? Can we walk there?” Newt asked, concerned.

“I think you can, but it could take us a long time, around 4 hours or so to get there.” Queenie replierd, trying very hard to concentrate into his thoughts. Newt was a little odd, but this sudden question seemed a little odder than usual and had caught her attention. “I was thinking we could just apparate very close by and then walk for a few minutes from there.” she answered.

Newt seemed reluctant. Tina could also tell, even without being a Legimillens, that something was off about his behaviour. _Maybe he doesn’t want to come with us and is too polite to say so,_ Tina thought sadly before adding unsurely, “Newt are you alright? If you don’t feel like coming…”

“No!” Newt said quickly, before realizing how that strong statement must have sounded before apologizing. “Sorry, what I meant to say, was that I would love to come with you but…” he quickly tried to think of something to say. _I can’t apparate if I want to keep my location a secret. I’m sure by now the Ministry already knows I left England._ “I’m not particularly fond of apparating, specially after a breakfast as big as this.” Newt lied. “I only do it if it’s absolutely necessary.”

The Goldsteins seemed surprised by this fact, especially since they saw him apparating many times during his last visit. Jacob, who noticed the awkward silence between his friends, decided to suggest an alternate way of transportation. “We can always use the traditional no-maj way.”  He saw the confused expressions spread on his friends features and added before they could ask, “I’m talking about the train of course! It could take us there in an hour.” Newt gave him a thankful smile, appreciating his help and quickly agreed with him, mentioning that he’s never been on a train outside the Hogwarts Express.

Before going to the Central Station they accompanied Newt back to his hotel, so he could conceal his case inside of his room. It could have been potentially dangerous to take the case to a crowded place like that, so the magizoologist placed some protective spells on his case, as well as the closet where he stored it and finally some very strong protective spells to his room. No one besides him could come in or out, human or creature. Better be sure than sorry, he rationalised. He wouldn’t usually leave his case unattended, but considering he was trying to keep his visit a secret, it was best to take any precaution necessary. He decided to add a Silencing Charm to his room as well, just in case something weird happened and his creatures did find a way out of the case.

The train ride was as awkward as Tina could expect. As soon as they entered the train, Queenie quickly sat on an empty stool and pulled Jacob next to her before the auror could say or do anything. She stood awkwardly next to Newt, not knowing what to do until Newt pointed at an empty stool next to a window. They walked silently towards it and he offered her the window seat, which she took gladly, since she tends to get motion sickness. “Thank you Newt. That is really kind of you.”

They kept a casual small talk during the ride, talking about their respective works. Newt was given more and more freedom to investigate his cases the way he saw fit, no protocols to follow as long as he kept the law. Tina told him a bit about the last case she worked on, the toddler showing magic at the store, but kept the case which she and Achilles had worked together, a secret. She didn’t know why, but for some reason she didn’t want to mention it to him, at least until they had had a proper talk about all the engagement confusion and miscommunication between them.

As soon as they arrived they stuck together for a long while. They walked around the many stands, browsing through the many things being sold there. Tina kept looking at a beautiful small badger stuffed animal. It looked exactly like the one on the Hogwarts crest, representing Newt’s house. The magizoologist observed her as she stared at the middle-sized stuffed animal, and before he could regret it, he asked her, “Do you like it?”

Tina looked up at him, surprised that he was initiating a conversation with her. She smiled at him and simply nodded her head. “Too bad it’s only meant to be a prize for the winner of that game.” The game seemed pretty simple, throw the 3 balls through the hoop. Nothing to hard, that’s why Newt decided, against his better judgement, to ask her, “I could try to win it for you, if you wanted me too, of course.”

Tina turned to him, eyes wide. “Did you… would you… would you really do that for me?” she asked him shyly, eyes shining bright. Newt nodded affirmatively and together, they walked towards the stand.

An hour later, the group plus Tina’s brand new badger, met for lunch. Against Queenie’s suggestions, they all went to get hot dogs from a street vendor by the side of the boardwalk. They borrowed a large picnic blanket from a nearby stand and sat on the sand to enjoy their meal while overlooking at the ocean. Tina had always loved the ocean, even when she was not a good swimmer. The sound of the waves and the singing birds were really peaceful and soothing. They brought the young auror in a state of calm and peace. She was so distracted with looking at the ocean that she hadn’t noticed his hand raising towards her face. He gently moved his right index towards her upper lip and removed a mustard stain that she hadn’t noticed was there. They stared at each other intensely for a moment, neither wanting to break the contact. They both started to move, their heads coming closer, foreheads almost touching. _Is he about to kiss me?_ Tina asked herself. Suddenly their little moment was interrupted by Queenie calling at them from the seaside. “Teenie! Newt! Hey! You two want to come with us for a walk?” they both shyly looked away, both their cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.

“We are coming Queenie! You guys go ahead!” Tina replied, as they took they shoes off. Newt stood up and offered her his hand to help her stand up. She accepted it with a bright and grateful smile. He picked the blanket up and folded it before putting it over his right arm and together the walked towards the ocean.

As they walked they could see Queenie and Jacob walking ahead of them, giggling happily and holding each other’s hands tightly. Newt and Tina strolled along the shore, keeping a slow pace as they walked behind them in silence. Tina watched her sister and her boyfriend longingly, secretly wishing she and the Englishman could be together just like them. They walked for a few more minutes in complete silence before Newt was brave enough to break it.

“Congratulations by the way! I read about the creatures case you solved. The Ministry spent many months tracking them down but were never able to catch them.” Newt told her, a proud smile on his face. She thanked him kindly, a sweet, shy smile on her lips. It looked to her like Newt wanted to say something else, but stayed quiet. As the minutes passed, the temperature started dropping and Tina’s body started trembling from the cold as goosebumps formed in her skin. _I should have brought a coat._ Suddenly, she felt a warmth embrace her and a heavy material being put over her shoulders, shielding her from the cold. She turned to look at Newt, both of them locking eyes for a minute. The magizoologist had removed his coat and put it on her.

“Thank you Newt.” Tina whispered as she snuggled inside the blue coat. “Won’t you be cold though?” She added in concern. The magizoologist simply shook his head before replying, “I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.” _But I always worry about you,_ Tina thought to herself. As they walked, they could feel the cold water splashing against their feet. Newt was trying to build the courage to ask the question that’s been haunting them ever since he saw that newspaper article. He decided that now was as good time as never.

“Tina?” the brunette turned her head slightly at the sound of her name to look at his face. “Can I ask you a question? If you don’t feel like answering, it is fine…”

“Of course Newt! What’s is it?”

“Is that man from the article, the man that worked the case with you… is he your… are you two… is he courting you?” Tina stared at him, dumbfounded. _Why would he think that? There is no way a simple report from the case can… I need to ask. We have to stop just assuming things. “_ You mean Achilles Tolliver? He’s just my coworker. Maybe a good friend. But that’s it, there is nothing more between us nor will there ever be. I’m not interested in him in that way.” She answered truthfully, looking straight into his eyes. At some point, they had stopped walking and were standing in front of one another, eyes meeting intensely. Tina could swear she saw a change in Newt’s features after hearing her reply. Almost like relief, his muscles visibly relaxing. But now she needed to know everything that brought him to that conclusion. “Newt, why did you thought Achilles and I were courting?”

Newt’s face paled suddenly, he didn’t want to tell her about the article. He was afraid she could get mad at him again. _She is just starting to talk to me… but… i have to be honest with her… especially if I intend to court her properly._ “You see… the article that talked about the case you solved… it also mentioned that you and your coworker were… well romantically involved… and I wouldn’t have believed it if it weren’t for the… the… hmm… you see… the also added a picture of the two of you, outside your apartment…”  Newt trailed off as he saw Tina’s expression and immediately regretted even asking the question. _You seriously buggered everything Newton! “_ I’m so sorry if I’ve upset you Tina. I shouldn’t have asked the question in the first place. I apologize if I’ve upset you.” the magizoologist said apologetically, sadden for ruining their time together with his silly question.

Tina looked at him enraged. Not because his question bother her at all, but because of what lead him to believe she wa dating Achilles. _An ill written article!_ Just like the one she had read, which also let her to believe he was with someone else. Mercy Lewis, those _damn reporters! Spreading lies like this! Invading people’s privacy! So I was right! I did saw something that night! I bet that light was a photographer!_

“Tina please don’t be mad! I didn’t mean to ruin such a nice day” hearing his voice broke her from his deep thoughts. She should say something before he kept thinking she was angry at him.

“I’m not mad at you Newt” she said smiling warmly at him, “I’m mad at those annoying reporters! They are always speeding lies about people without caring if those lies will hurt someone or damage them in anyway.”   _They are the ones that cause this whole mess in the first place!_

“Still I shouldn’t have asked. We were having such a nice day and they I ruined it with my silly question.” Newt replied ashamed, looking at his feet. Tina, in an impulsive move, took Newt’s hand gently and searched his eyes, until they eyes met.

“You have nothing to apologize for Newt” the Aurora’s said truthfully. “I should be the one apologizing for my awful behaviour and for that rude letter I sent you” she continued. “When I read that article I just assumed it was true, instead of asking you about it.” She now felt like a complete idiot. _Even if it were true, he had every right to keep his private life private. We’ve barely known each other for a few months!_ Tina thought looking away, feeling ashamed for her behaviour.

“As you just said, you have nothing to apologize for” Newt replied, repeating her earlier words with a confident smile on his face. Tina smiled back at him, one tiny tear falling freely from her left eye. The magizoologist lifted his hand and gently brushed his finger against her cheek and cleaned the tear, leaving his finger there for a few seconds longer as their eyes met once more, longingly.

The group passed the rest of the afternoon just waking around the pier and boardwalk, talking animatedly about different things, before deciding hit was time to go back to the city. The train ride was mostly uneventful, except for Tina falling asleep on Newt’s shoulder...

A sudden knock on her office door woke Tina from her daydreaming. She looked towards it and saw Achilles standing there with a cocky smile. “Good morning Achilles. How are you today?” She asked politely, still feeling a bit awkward around him, specially after finding out about the article on the paper.

“Im good thank you. Hope you had a good weekend with your sister.” The dark haired aurora replied walking inside her office, without invitation, and sitting in a chair in front of her.

“We did actually. It was a great weekend.” Tina said dreamily, a goofy smile on her face.

“I'm glad you did. Well, I know you are busy so I’ll go straight to the point.” He replied very serious. “Tina, i was wondering if you could accompany me to dinner tonight?” he suddenly asked her.

_Oh! Right! I told him we could go this week. But that was only last Friday. He must really have a big problem if he is in such a rush… or maybe he needs help again with something and it’s a bit ashamed to ask for my help… but.. yesterday we agreed to have dinner at our apartment. Queenie and I promised Newt and Jacob we would cook something for them and they said they would bring the dessert… I guess I can grab a quick bite with Achilles and then be home by 8 for coffee and dessert?_

“Tina?...Tina?” Achilles said moving his hand in front of her face.

“Yeah, sorry I got  distracted. Sure Achilles, I can go to have dinner with you tonight.” she could tell Achilles was about to say something but she talked before him, “We can meet at the main hall after work? Let’s say… 5:30?” Achilles looked confused with this statement but just agreed with her and told her he would see her later before leaving her office.

Tina spent the rest of the day locked up inside her office going through paperwork and possible leads that could lead them to Grindelwald’s followers. She only took a quick break around midday to get a sandwich from a nearby store. A few minutes before 5:30, Tina started organizing her desk. She always likes to organize her files and kept her office pretty neat. She had many stacks of files on top of her desk but those were organized by a system she created and that she understood perfectly. She grabbed her belongings and left her office and walked towards the main hall to wait for Achilles. Earlier she had send an owl to Queenie, letting her know that she would be late to dinner but that she will arrive just in time to have dessert with them. She was a little sad that she wouldn’t get to spent so much time with Newt this evening, but she could still see him later.  _ I wonder how long will he stay in New York. I don’t think he has mentioned it.  _

“Good evening Tina!” a smooth voice greeted her from behind. Tina turned around to see Achilles Tolliver looking at her, bouquet of red roses on his hands, a flirty smile on his face. “These are for you.” He send moving the bouquet forward, encouraging her to take it. She looked at him in confusion  _ Why is he bringing me flowers? It’s not my birthday or any special occasion.  _

“They are very pretty Achilles, thank you” Tina replied uncomfortably. “Should we get going? I told Queenie I’ll be back home before 8” 

The two of them left the Woolworth Building and walked a few blocks till they reach an upscale Manhattan no-maj restaurant. Achilles reaches the front door and asked for the reservation under Tolliver, before they were lead to a nice table by the corner. The place looked quite pricey and elegant. The dim lighting and soft music gave a romantic mood to the place. This made Tina even more confused. How are we supposed to talk about work stuff or what’s bothering him in a place like this? “Achilles, I don’t understand. Flowers? A place like this? Is this an early birthday celebration or something?” 

Achilles laughed lightly and grabbed her hand that was resting in top of the table. “I thought I made my intentions clear but now I see I did not asked this properly. Which might be, why you are confused.” He made a short pause before continuing. “I like you Tina. I like you very much and if you let me I would like to court you officially. I think, possibly, you might share the same feelings for me” He said softly caressing her hand and looking at her eyes hopefully. 

Tina removed her hand from his and dropped it on top of her lap.  _ Oh! I didn’t see this coming.  _ She was really confused at what she could have done to let him to believe she had any romantic interest in him. Even while she was sad and yearning for Newt’s ‘engagement’, she had never considered dating Achilles. He was a sweet guy, a total gentleman once you get to know him, but he was not her type. Her heart didn’t beat uncontrollably when she saw him, she didn’t feel like she was floating whenever he was around her. She knew by now that she was in love with Newt and it was highly possible that he had feelings for her too.  _ Oh no! How can explain this to him without being mean or hurting him to much?  _

Achilles misunderstood her silence for shocked at his revelation, and perhaps emotion. He leaned forward and tried to grab her face but Tina pulled away. “Achilles… I’m sorry but… I don’t feel the same about you… I’m so sorry if I did something that led you to believe that” she said uncomfortably. The man looked quite confused, especially since how in his head, this whole situation played a lot differently. He thought she would be flattered by his declaration. They would talk more, deep conversations about her and him, during dinner and then, when he walk her back home, he would try to kiss her, this time a proper kiss. But now he knew the truth. He had misunderstood everything. Tina didn’t like him like that. He simply smiled tightly at her, apologizing for his abrupt confession. Being honest to himself, Tina never did anything that would indicate she had feelings for him. He had only lied to himself because she was the only woman at MACUSA who wasn’t flirting with him. 

The meal was as expected, really, really awkward after that. They talked about mundane things like weather, economy and a only a bit about work. Once they were done, having declined dessert, Achilles offered to pay for the whole meal. Tina tried declining a few times but ultimately agreed once he mentioned how coming there had been his idea and that she didn’t need to spend that ridiculous amount of money on a meal. They exited the restaurant and Tina bid him goodbye before going back home. 

As she apparated to an alley nearby, Tina did her best to push her mental shield up in order to keep this disastrous outing out of her sister’s knowledge. She walked up the stairs, towards the apartment. As soon as she walked inside, all the awkwardness form the night was pushed back and all everything else seemed to disappear, everything but Newt.

“Teenie! You’re finally back!” Queenie called out excited. “The boys wanted to wait for you but I told them you said to go ahead with dinner and that you would join us for dessert.” Tina took her light jacket off and hung it in the coathanger by the door. She greeted everyone and sat on the table in the seat right in front of Newt. Queenie immediately brought the delicious chocolate cake Jacob had brought with some tea and hot cocoa. They started an animatedly conversation about the differences between Hogwarts and Ilvermorny. Jacob was enchanted by the stories, listening attentively to everything being said. Suddenly a light knock on the door interrupted them.  _ I wonder who it could be? I know Mrs. Esposito is asleep.  _ Queenie thought to herself as she went to open the door. She gasped surprise to see Achilles Tolliver standing there with a bouquet of red roses. “Mr. Tolliver! What a surprise!” Queenie exclaimed, truthly surprised by his arrival. 

“Good evening, I’m sorry to intrude at such a late hour but I just came to bring back your sister’s…” He stopped talking as soon as he realized the sisters weren’t alone. “Oh, I didn’t realized you had guests tonight. Jacob, what a pleasure to see you again” he greeted the no-maj as he walked further into the apartment, looking quizzically at Newt.  _ Who is this guy and what is he doing at their apartment so late? “ _ Tina...you… mmm… you forgot your flowers” he said awkwardly turning to look at her. 

“Oh! I’m sorry, I think I must have left them on the table” she said politely, approaching him to retrieve the roses. She didn’t want to be rude to Achilles, but he really had bad timing.  _ Why did you had to come here right now? I was meant to tell Newt about this first! Now he’s going to think I lie to him. _

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe we have met” the auror said confidently, pulling his hand out as he walked towards Newt, who had stood from the table at some point during their small exchange. “Achilles Tolliver. I work with Tina at MACUSA.” 

Newt looked at him doubtfully before accepting his hand and shaking it firmly. “Newt Scamander. I’m… ah…” 

“He is a close friend who’s visiting us from England.” Queenie interjected.  _ Thank you Queenie!  _ Both Newt and Tina thought in unison. She read something else in Achilles mind, something that bothered her because she quickly added. “That is a really awful thing to say Mr. Tolliver. If you must know, Newt is not staying with us. He booked a hotel really close by. That fancy no-maj hotel a few blocks away.” 

“I apologized, it was not my intention to offend you ladies. I was just wondering” he replied apologetically looking at Tina. She nodded in understanding giving him a polite smile and then turning to give Queenie a dirty look.  _ Seriously Queenie?  _ “Well, I must get going. Have a good night ladies” he nodded his head to acknowledge Jacob and bid him good night before turning towards Newt. “Mr. Scamander it was a pleasure.” And without another word he left the apartment promptly. 

The group remained quiet for a few more minutes. Everyone could feel the awkwardness in the air now, especially between Newt and Tina. “Honey?” Queenie broke the silence calling out for Jacob. “Would you mind accompanying me to the rooftop? I think something is wrong with the water heater” she said, indicating with her head that she wanted to leave New and Tina alone. 

“Sure! Of course. Just show me where it is.” The baker replied kindly and together they left the complicated lovebirds by themselves. It was Tina the one to break the silence.

“Newt… there is something I have to tell you. Something that happened today.” They move together to sit on the sofa in the living room. Tina started explaining everything that had happened that day. From Achilles walking into her office, to his confession earlier at diner. Newt’s face was expressionless during Tina’s story, which worried her very much.  _ I wonder if he is mad at me now. Does he believe what I told him yesterday? Maybe he thinks I’ve been lying to him. _ She also explained everything that had happened between them since they met a few weeks ago. “I truly, truly don’t think I’ve done anything to lead him to believe that I have  feelings for him but…”

“Tina?” Newt interrupted her.  _ Oh no! Is about to tell me he never wants to see me again.  _

“Yes Newt?” she said reluctantly, her eyes already welling up in tears.

“Would you go out on date with me tomorrow night?” 

  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can follow me on tumblr and Twitter @ bea_goldstein


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and Tina get ready for what should be the perfect date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Once more I'm so sorry for the long gap between this chapter and the previous one. This past few weeks have been really hectic but I'm trying to write as much as I can. As I mentioned before, this story is fully planned and I will finish it even if it takes me longer than I originally planned. 
> 
> I'm already working on the next chapter and I hope to post it some time next week. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter and pease let me now what you think. :)

_ Tuesday, April 26, 1927 _

 

Newt Scamander woke up earlier than usual, too excited to be able to go back to sleep. Tonight was the night he was finally going on a date with Tina. He had been thinking about asking her since he arrived back in New York but was to scared to do something about it. But last night, when he had seen that American man entering the Goldstein’s apartment, he knew he had to ask her before it was too late. 

He was prepared for Tina’s denial. In his dreams she had refused many times, always stating that she only wanted them to be friends. There were a few times where she hadn’t even had a chance to reply due to him waking up startled. On very rare occasions, Tina would say yes with a big smile spread across her face, just as it happened the night before. 

Newt took a quick shower and changed into her regular clothes before entering his case to spend some time with his creatures and later started working on a report on garden gnomes. Newt tried unsuccessfully to concentrate on his work but he couldn’t. He was too happy about his date with Tina. He decided to leave the report for later and instead spent his morning planning what he knew would be the best night of his life. After a short discussion with Pickett, he allowed the little creature to come with him, as long as he kept himself hidden inside his pocket. 

“Where do you think I should take Tina?” Newt asked the bowtruckle as he walked out of his case. Once back inside his room, the magizoologist closed the lid and wrapped two strong belts around it. He placed a sealing spell on it before putting it inside the small wardrobe and added a second sealing spell and a silencing enchantment, he couldn’t be too careful, given what had happened the last time he was in New York. He grabbed his coat from the back of a chair and left the room. He walked to the front desk, hoping to find the really nice older gentleman that usually worked the morning shift, and not the annoying young man who had checked him in when he first arrived. Lucky for him, he saw the older man sitting behind the counter, reading the newspaper. He approached him and cleared his throat gently in an attempt to catch his attention. 

“Good morning Mr. Scamander. How may I help you today?” the man asked him cheerfully. Newt hadn’t wanted to use his real name just in case something went wrong but, when he came with Jacob a few days ago, the muggle had introduced him as Mr. Scamander and he couldn’t tell him why he didn’t want to use his real name. 

“Good morning sir” the magizoologist replied politely. “I was wondering if you could recommend a few restaurants for me?”

The older muggle thought about it for a few seconds and came up with a few restaurants where he could eat pizza or hamburgers.  _ The best pizza and hamburgers in all New York,  _ he said. Newt looked uncertain and the man could tell. “Not a fan of greasy treats I guess?” he asked curiously. 

“Oh no! It’s not that. I would normally agree to try them but I don’t think they are the best option for tonight.” Newt replied politely. The muggle man looked at him for a few seconds, trying to understand what the magizoologist meant and suddenly his eyes lit up. 

“I see… You’re looking for a special place where you can take a young lady to dazzle her, am I right?” Newt hesitated for a few seconds but the nodded, embarrassed. He wasn’t particularly keen on sharing his private life with a total stranger but if he really wanted this man’s help he was willing to share a few details. “You should have mentioned that before” the muggle replied, chuckling lightly before returning to his serious, yet nonetheless friendly expression. “There are a lot of places around the city, each one very different from the other. For a night like this, I wouldn’t know what to recommend...” Newt looked at him in defeat.  _ I guess I could ask Jacob even if he tells Queenie. I don’t know if I want her to find out what I’ve planned, but what other choice do I have?  _ Newt was ready to thanked the muggle man and go in search for his baker friend when the man added, “...But... I do have something that might be able to help you find what you are looking for.”

* * *

 

Tina Goldstein woke up pretty early that Tuesday morning with a wide smile on her face. She had a wonderful dream during the night where a certain British magizoologist asked her out on a date before requesting the pleasure of her company to settle his creatures for the night. They walked together around the empty enclosures, their hands gently brushing each other as they walk. As soon as he saw her, the niffler ran towards Tina and started scratching her ankles, begging for her attention. She happily complied and spent some time scratching the tiny creature before returning it to his enclosure.  _ What a wonderful dream!  _ Tina thought to herself as she stretched her arms above her head.

“It was not a dream Teenie! All of it truly happened!” Queenie said cheerfully from across the room. “Newt was here last night and he DID asked you on a date tonight. A ROMANTIC DATE!” the blonde witch added excitedly, eyes wide with interest. Tina smiled brightly at her sister’s statement. She couldn’t believe it was actually true!  _ I’m going on a date with Newt tonight!  _ She had dreamt about this many times before. Every dream, completely different from the other. The Goldstein sisters started getting ready for work, and it was then when Tina realized she had nothing nice to wear for night. She looked in her closet and smiled sadly as she went though all the trousers and formal blouses hanging there. She did own a few formal and summer dresses, but nothing pretty enough to go on a date with a man she was in love with.  _ Sometimes I wished I was a little more like Queenie and worried more about how I looked,  _ she thought sadly.

“Teenie! Stop with those awful thoughts!” Queenie said scolding her older sister. “You have your own style and I think you look beautiful in everything you wear, and so does a certain British gentleman.” the younger Goldstein said walking towards her sister. “Newt would think you look beautiful even if you wear your pajamas!” 

Tina smiled thankfully at her sister. “Still Queen, I still wish I owned something nicer I could wear tonight.”  Queenie smiled mischievously at her and Tina looked at her, confused, “What?”

“Well… I’ve been working on something special last night…” the blonde witch said.  “Queenie!” Tina exclaimed annoyed yet grateful, refusing to let it show. She remembered the last time Queenie had made a dress for her. It was for MACUSA’s annual gala. After days of bugging her, Tina had finally agreed to go and let Queenie make a dress for her even when she owned a few party dresses. In the end, she had attended the gala wearing a sparkling peach dress that she hated. “Hey! That dress was really pretty! Half of MACUSA thought you looked very nice!” Queenie exclaimed defensively, as Tina gave her a pointed look. “Don’t worry though, I know for a fact that you will like this one. Now, hurry up or you will be late!”

* * *

Newt walked around the streets of New York, with a book in his hands. The muggle man had given him a nice book with many ideas of things he could do in New York. So far, he had visited four restaurants close to Central Park, but none of them looked good enough in order to satisfy him. They were too elegant and sophisticated, the kind of place his parents and Theseus like to go to. He and Tina would feel too awkward, and the night could be ruined. He was about to give up when he spotted an Italian restaurant a few meters ahead of him. He searched the book and found out that the restaurant was owned by an Italian family that had come to America a few years ago. It was described as an Italian experience on the heart of New York. He peeked inside and saw a middle aged woman sitting on a table by the corner, so he decided to walk inside. 

The restaurant looked very nice, not as sophisticated as the previous one, but it still looked quite elegant and cozy. The tables were covered by white tablecloths, with a set of candles and flowers placed in the center. Newt looked around smiling, he knew Tina liked Italian food. She had mentioned her sister’s pesto pasta in one of her letters, and how it was one of her favourites. He looked to the corner and spotted the woman reading a heavy book, with a title in Italian, and started approaching her slowly, afraid to startle her. The woman looked up from the book she was reading, and smiled politely at Newt. “How may I help young man? I’m afraid we won’t start serving lunch before noon” she said in a heavily accented English. 

“Hello Mrs... Mmm… I was wondering if I could make a reservation for tonight?” The woman smiled up at him as she stood from the table and walked towards the entrance podium. She opened the big book resting on top and looked back at him asking at what time he would like to come before noting down his name and information. Newt started to fidget in his spot as the lady wrote his information and blushed shyly when she asked if he was coming alone or with a big party. 

“Only two please” he replied shyly, looking at his feet. The Italian woman studied the British magizoologist for a few minutes. She had seen this odd behaviour many times before. She was quite certain this young man would be bringing a young lady as his companion for dinner, so she made sure to reserved the nicest table in the restaurant and assigned one of the best waiters. She wrote everything down on her guest book before confirming him that the reservation was made for 7 pm. Newt thanked her and left the restaurant, moving on to his next task. Finding something appropriate to wear. 

He had never been too worried about what he wore, but tonight was different. For a very long time, he had  dreamt about going on dates with Tina. In his dreams, he would show her around London, take her to all his favourite places and if the weather was nice, he would take her to his parents state to fly around the countryside in one of his mother’s hippogriffs. He had seen Tina wearing a dress before, and he could still remember how beautiful and elegant she had looked that night. He knew she was a simple lady, so he wasn’t looking for anything fancy, just a new shirt and nicer looking pants. Maybe even a new waistcoat? 

He spent the rest of the morning looking around for something that he liked. He ultimately bought a nice pair of dark trousers, a white button down shirt and a waistcoat with a matching bow tie. He also bought a hot dog from a street vendor before going back to his hotel, considering how he hadn’t had any lunch yet.  _ I think I can understand why Tina likes them so much.  _ On his way back he stopped by a flower shop and bought Tina a bouquet of colorful lilies. He entered the hotel and returned the book back to the muggle man, thanking him for his help before returning to his room to rest for a few hours before he could start getting ready for his big night. As soon as he walked inside, he put the flowers in an empty vase with water and hung his new clothes inside the closet. He laid on top of the bed for a quick nap and fell asleep instantly. 

* * *

Tina strode inside their apartment excitedly. By her sister’s orders, she had asked Mr. Graves to leave an hour earlier, to which he had agreed immediately. Queenie had told Abernathy that she wasn’t feeling very well, and had gone home right before lunch. “Queenie! I’m home!” she yelled out and heard her sisters reply coming from their bedroom. “Just stay there Teenie! Don’t come in yet!”

Tina walked towards the kitchen and fill a glass with water before drinking it. She thought about having a quick snack but to be honest, she was too nervous to eat anything. She had drank a big cup of coffee that morning, half a sandwich and an apple for lunch. She could feel a hole of emptiness as it rumbled inside of her stomach but she was sure it was from nervousness rather than hunger. She stood by the living room window, wondering what Newt was doing right now and if he was as nervous as she was. She was so distracted looking at the horizon that she didn’t notice her sister walking into the living room. “TA-DA!” she said excitedly.

Tina turned around and was stunned by the dress Queenie was holding. It was a beautiful, mid calf yellow dress. It had short sleeves and the fabric was soft and pretty. Tina remembered she had seen that dress but she couldn’t remember from where. “It’s the dress you liked from  that time we went to Macy’s together! I mean it’s not the same dress as it was too expensive, but I was able to make one exactly like it” the younger Goldstein explained. “Do you like it?” 

Tina looked between the dress and her sister’s hopeful blue eyes for a few seconds before walking towards her sister and embracing her tightly. A few tears shedding from her eyes. “Like it? Queenie I love it!” the auror replied thankfully. “It is so beautiful! Thank you so much!” Queenie hugged her sister back. She was so happy that Tina had liked the dress. She had seen her sister observing it repeatedly a few weeks ago when they visited the store. Tina had stared longingly at the dress, disappointed after checking the price tag. At some point, the blonde witch had thought about buying it as a present for her, but Tina was right. The dress was too expensive and probably not worth the cost. Instead, she went to a seamstress and order yellow fabric and was able to magically changed it to look exactly like the fabric from the dress. 

“Now that we have solved the dress issue…. We need to start working on your hair and make up.” Queenie stated firmly. “Go have a nice long bath and I will help you once you’re done.”

Tina grabbed her bath stuff and some of her sisters aromatic salts and bubbles. She walked to the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water and pour the bubbles and salts in it. Once the water hit the appropriate temperature, Tina sat inside with a mystery book and placed a spell to keep the water at the same temperature. She was about to fall asleep in the tub when she heard Queenie’s voice calling for her from the other side of the door. “Teenie! You’ve been there for almost an hour!” 

“I’ll be out in a minute!” she yelled back before standing up and putting on her bathrobe. She emptied the tub and grabbed her things before walking out. Queenie was waiting impatiently for her outside the door. Together, they walked to their bedroom where the blonde witch made her sit in the chair next to their vanity. It only took her less than an hour to be ready and once her sister walked her to the long mirror in their room she couldn’t believe what she saw. Queenie had fixed her hair in elegant waves and applied a very little amount of makeup. Her cheeks were rosy, red lipstick on her lips and her eyelashes were longer than usual. She looked truly beautiful but effortless. 

“Since my job here is done, I’m heading out. Jacob received a big order this morning and he and Henry will spend all night baking. I’m going to keep him company.” her younger sister explained as she put her coat on. She turned to look at her older sister and smiled kindly at her. “Teenie? Could you please do me a favour?”

“Sure Queenie! What is it?”

“Only for this night, please stop overthinking everything.”

* * *

 

Newt was running around his room. He had overslept and only woken up when Pickett had started jumping on his face, letting him know that it was time to wake up. The truth was, he was having a beautiful dream and didn’t wish to wake from it.  _ But you don’t have to dream anymore. In a few minutes you will be in an actual date with Tina!  _ He thought, smiling to himself. 

He noticed he didn’t have any clean towels in the bathroom, so he ran to the front desk and asked for some. The lady working the night shift told him she would send some in a few minutes. He returned to his room and since he was running late, he decided to use one of the towels he kept inside his case. After a quick shower and shaving his stubble, he put his clothes on and went to look for the cologne his mom had gifted him three years ago. He was finishing fixing his bow tie, when he heard a knock on his door.  _ Perfect! They sure took their time to bring those towels!  _

“Just one minute please!” he called out in answer as he combed his hair hurriedly. There was no way to fix it without magic. Not even the muggle hair product the sales lady had recommended seemed to work. He finally decided to leave it as it was. It look nicer and tidier than usual, so that was a big improvement. 

“Now Pickett, I can’t take you with me tonight. So you can either stay here or inside the case.” the little bowtruckle chirped annoyed to be left behind. “You know I would take you if I could Pick but tonight is special.” The little creature gave him what he considered to be a dirty look, before jumping on the bed and sitting comfortably on the pillow. Newt grabbed his coat and waved goodbye to his leavy friend. “Wish me luck Pick” he whispered, aware of the hotel employee waiting behind the door. Newt opened the door, expecting to see the lady from housekeeping but he was surprised when he saw the man standing outside his door.

“You? What are you doing here?”

* * *

 

Tina looked at the clock on top of their fireplace for the hundredth time in the past two hours. It read 9:15 p.m. Newt Scamnder was more than two hours late and she was getting more anxious every minute that passed by.  _ Maybe he regretted asking me out? Maybe he decided he only wants to be friends with me?  _ Tina thought sadly, allowing her insecurities resurfed.  _ Let’s be honest Tina! Even when he is not engaged to Leta Lestrange he still could choose someone better than you. Someone prettier, more feminine, someone more fit to be his girlfriend.  _ Tina pictured Newt with a beautiful, sophisticated British girl. Her shiny hair perfectly styled into an elegant bun, her fashionable clothing and femenine shoes make her looked like the perfect wife next to the Bitish magizoologist.  _ His wife…?  _ Tina longingly. 

She had dreamt a few times of a future where they were married and had a beautiful family together. Both of them extremely happy with their children and creatures. A future that for the past 24 hours Tina had seen clearly and as a likely possibility. But now, that wonderful sight seem more like a dream that her future reality. 

Tears started welling up in her eyes and she reprimanded herself for letting hope cloud her judgement. Of course, she couldn’t blame her poor choices on Newt. He was a true gentleman and a nice man,who wouldn’t do anything to purposely hurt her.  _ Maybe it was me the one who had misunderstood his intentions? Friends can go out on dates too, right?  _ _ Then why did it looked like he was asking you on a romantic date? Queenie even said so!  _ Suddenly she realized something.  _ Newt wouldn’t only stood me up. He would at the very least sendt a note letting me know. Maybe… maybe something happened to him?  _ Disappointment and hurt quickly morphed into concerned. Tina stood from the couch she had been sitting on for the past two hours, grabbed her light coat and left the apartment hastily. 

****

Tina had been walking around for almost an hour. As soon as she had left the brownstone she realized  she didn’t knew where Newt was currently staying at. She remembered Jacob had helped him get a room in a nearby no-maj hotel, and from what Newt had told them, it was a rather fancy hotel. The problem was that there were many hotels that fit that description, all of them fairly close to their apartment. She had already walked into two of them with no luck. Neither had a Newt Scamander registered as a guest. 

She was getting tired and her feet were hurting since she was wearing very uncomfortable shoes.  _ Teenie! You have to wear heels with a dress like that!  _ Queenie had told her earlier and she had listened to her thinking the blonde witch was right. She did look more stylish with the fancy heeled shoes but they were not the best choice for walking around for a long time.  _ Maybe I could try asking in one more place before going back home?  _ She spotted a fancy looking hotel across the street and started walking towards the entrance. As soon as she walked in, she looked around the lobby and realized the hotel was fancier than it looked on the outside. Marble floors and columns and elegant furniture.  _ This doesn’t look like the kind of place Newt would stayed at.Tina _ was about to walk out when she heard someone calling out, “Excuse me Miss? May I help you?” a blonde woman asked her from behind a beautiful marble counter. 

“Mmm.. Yes… mhm.. I was wondering if you have a guest named Newton Scamander staying here?” Tina said hesitatingly as she approached the smiling lady. The woman looked at her for a few minutes before politely replying. “Yes, Mr. Scamander is a guest here.”

“Is he here right now?” Tina asked her hopeful. The woman explained how she had seen Newt earlier that night when he came asking for new towels but that she hadn’t seen him since. After hearing that, Tina had thanked her with a sad smile and was ready to go back home and cried herself to sleep but the lady called up to her again. 

“Listen child, I shouldn’t be telling you this but you seem like a nice young lady. That door” she said pointing at the main entrance, “is the only way in and out of the hotel. I’ve been here all night and I haven’t seen him leave but… “ she said thinking about something, “now that I think about it… a gentleman came looking for him earlier but I’m not sure if he stayed.” she added confused.  _ Confundus charm _ , Tina thought to herself. 

“Do you remember how he looked like?” Tina asked eagerly.  _ Maybe something did happen to him? Maybe one of Grindelwald’s followers trapped him in revenge?  _ The lady gave a vague response of an elegant looking gentleman, a long coat and a dressy hat on his head. Tina then asked her if she remembered his name. 

The lady was deep in thought, trying to remember her short exchange with the mysterious man. “This is so weird! I’m sorry dear! I usually have better memory that this” the woman said apologetically. “I think he said… I think he said he was his older brother… That’s it! He was his brother!”  Tina thanked the woman for her help and declined her offered to leave a message for Newt. She bid her goodnight and left the hotel quietly and hurriedly. 

Once she arrived home, Tina changed into her pyjamas and cleaned her face. She hung her beautiful dress carefully inside her closet and went to the kitchen to pour herself a nice cup of hot cocoa before going back to her room. She laid awake for a long time trying to think what could have happened with Newt. She knew someone had come looking for him, quite possibly his brother. She couldn’t be quite sure since it looked like the no-maj lady had been confuded. 

She laid there for minutes, or hours; wondering whether he could come, send a note, startled at every sound, hoping it would be him. 

She waited for him all night, never losing faith losing faith; until she fell asleep with his name on her mind .

Newt never showed up. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: bea_goldstein  
> Tumblr: beagoldstein


	15. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt never showed up for his date with Tina... what could have happened to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter and please let me know what you think :)
> 
> Enjoy!! I'm already working on chapter 16 and hopefully I would be able to post it next Sunday :)

_ Wednesday, April 27, 1927 _

 

Tina walked quietly out of her room, trying her best not to wake her sleeping sister. She looked out the window of their living room as she put her shoes and coat on. Despite being spring, the outside was dark and foggy, it seemed like quite a depressing day. Just like her mood this morning. She had laid awake for hours the night before thinking of all the possible reasons Newt had for not showing up for their date. She had been so excited yesterday, but nervous as well. She spent the previous day wondering whether or not he would kiss her, if he would hold her hand as they walked through the busy streets of the city. 

As she finished getting ready she spotted the watch on top of their fireplace. It read 04:50 a.m..  _ At least no one will be at work this early.  _ Tina thought as she left the warmth of their apartment. She walked quickly to the apparition spot near the brownstone and making sure no one was looking at her, it might have been early for anyone to be out on the street, but you could never be too careful. With that, she disapparated. 

Just as she predicted, the Woolworth Building’s halls were dark and empty. Not even Red, the grumpy elevator operator, was there to greet her with a snide remark. She took the elevator and pressed the button for the Major Investigation Department, her failed date still on her mind.  _ Was it me? Maybe he thought more about it and decided it was best if we remained friends? But then… who was the man that came looking for him? The receptionist had said his brother came looking for him but… if that was true… he would have sent me a letter letting me know, right? He wouldn't just stand me up like that? Unless… unless he actually meant to cancel it, but didn’t know how.  _ The same thoughts had been going around Tina’s head since last night’s events. She wanted to be angry at him for what he did, but then what if something happened and he couldn’t let her know he wasn’t coming. She had made that mistake before, rushed to conclusion letting her insecurities overcloud her judgement. 

As she walked into her office, Tina decided she would go to his hotel once more after work and leave a message for him, and if that didn’t work she would try sending a short message to his address in London. And if nothing came of it, nobody could ever tell her she hadn’t at least tried hard enough. 

As she started organizing the files on top of her desk, she noticed the silhouette of man sitting outside Mr. Grave’s office. She tried peeking through her open door but the man was too far away to tell who he was. After thinking about it for a few minutes, she finally decided she wanted to know who the man was and what  he was doing here. She was sure someone had let him in, as no one could just walk into the MID without announcing themselves first and always being escorted by an Auror. As she approached the mysterious man she realized that he had fallen asleep leaning against the wall. He was tall and handsome, wearing fancy, elegant clothes that now looked a bit wrinkled due to his awkward sitting position. 

She didn’t recognize this mysterious man but for some reason his presence was not threatening. His features were unknown to her, yet familiar.   _ Have I've seen him before?  _ she wondered, intrigued by this man. As she came closer she noticed his strong, masculine face looked concerned, even in his sleep. His pale skin was splashed gently by a few freckles around his nose and cheeks, matching perfectly with his dark locks, elegantly combed, with no hair out of place. 

Tina studied the elegant man closely.  _ Why does it feel like I know him? I’m pretty sure I’ve never met him before, yet something about him feels… familiar.  _ She might not know the mysterious man in front of her, but she didn’t feel threatened being in his presence. Her Auror instinct told her she could trust in this man, that he meant no harm. For a minute, she stared at his face intendly, wondering what color laid behind his closed eyes.  _ I think… I think they must be green.  _ Intrigued by this and by his presence, Tina decided to gently shake his shoulder. “Sir? Excuse me, sir?” she said gently.

The dark haired man moved slightly as he opened his eyes with a squint, raising his right hand to cover them from the bright light shining strongly over him. He looked confused as he briefly looked around, trying to decipher his surroundings. Suddenly, his sight stopped on Tina and understanding crossed his face. “Oh.. I’m sorry Miss. I must’ve fallen asleep waiting.” the man apologised with a pronounced British accent and a cheeky smile as he stood up in front of her. He was a few inches taller than her and his sleepy eyes were bright blue, not as green as she had hoped. For some reason she couldn’t understand, this fact disappointed her deeply.  _ Why should it bother me what color his eyes are? But… I was really hoping to see green eyes looking back at me. And his smile… it reminds me of someone… but who? _

  
“Do you need any help Sir?” Tina asked politely. Maybe he’s a traveller who got himself into travel and is waiting for someone to help him. It has happened a few times before. She remembered this one time when a young French girl, just out of Beauxbatons lost her wand somewhere in Central Park. 

“No Miss, I’m just waiting for Percy. He is helping me with a current case” the man checked his golden pocket watch before adding, “It shouldn’t be longer though since I’ve been waiting for quite some time.” he said with a kind smile. Tina looked at him startled.  _ That smile! Where have I seen that smile before? And why does it make me feel like I could blush at any minute?  _ She shook those thoughts away from her mind and concentrated in the conversation she was currently having with him.  _ Did he say case? That’s it! Maybe he’s a foreign Auror and that’s why he looks familiar.  _ She was about to confirm her theory when suddenly someone interrupted her. 

“Theo! There you are!” Mr. Graves greeted warmly as he started approaching them. Just as the man standing in front of her, her boss looked tired and had dark circles under his eyes. As if he had been working all night. “I just spent the past three hours talking to Travers. That man is really obnoxious. I don’t know how you and your team stand working with him” the older Auror said angrily. “I’ve never met such an unreasonable person in my whole life! He just doesn’t want to listen to any possible solutions for this matter! He’s determined to throw him into Azkaban, as if he was a mastermind criminal!” the man’s beautiful smile disappeared from his face and it was replaced with concern and irritation. 

“Travers is usually very good at his job but he can be stubborn and he never accepts anyone else’s opinion. He believes he’s always right, but I swear to you that this is not the case.” Tina recognized the name. Travers was the Graves at the British Ministry. She heard stories about how he was difficult to work with and how almost every single British Auror despised him. So she had been right. This man is in fact a British Ministry official.  _ So this must be something very serious. Maybe I shouldn’t  intrude.  _

“Not worry Theo! I just spoke with Madam Picquery. She wasn’t very happy that I woke her up at 4 am in the morning but she is currently speaking with Minister Fawley. Let’s see if Travers is able to say no to his own boss!” Graves replied with a smug smile. As if he had heard his thoughts, he suddenly turned to look at Tina, realizing for the first time that she was standing there. “Goldstein? What are you doing here this early?”

She was about to reply, but she was interrupted by the man whose name seemed to be Theo. “Goldstein? As in Tina Goldstein? Auror Porpentina Goldstein?” he asked in surprise and curiosity.  _ How does this man knows my name? There is no way that my recent cases are important enough that my name has made it all the way to England.  _ Graves looked at the both of them intrigued before replying to his friend’s question. “Yes Theo, this is Auror Goldstein, but what I would like to know is how you managed to find out?  I was going to contact you as soon as you arrived to let you know but I think someone else told you about it” he added looking pointedly at the other man.

“I’m sorry Mr. Graves but I don’t understand. Tell me about what? I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she replied confused.  _ What’s going on? Why does it seem like everyone knows something that I don’t?  _ Before someone else could answer her questions, a strong female voice called out from the conference room. 

“Graves! I need you here for a moment!” President Picquery said sternly. She turned towards the other man before addressing him, “Good morning Mr. Scamander, my apologies for the current situation. The team who handled this situation forgot to cleared it up with Mr. Graves and myself before acting. But be sure that we are doing everything in our power to help you solve this as soon as possible.” 

“I really appreciate all your help Madam President” the man replied thankfully, bowing his head slightly.  _ Mr. Scamander?  _ Tina wondered.  _ Could this man be related to Newt?  _ Seraphina Picquery smiled politely at  _ Mr. Scamander  _ in return before informing him that she needed Mr. Graves urgently for a few minutes, but that he was welcome to wait for them. “That’s quite alright Madam President.” he replied kindly. 

As she saw her boss and President Picquery walk towards the conference room and close the door behind them, she could feel the man, Mr. Scamander, staring at her intensely. She turned to look at him, his bright blue eyes studying her closely. His masculine, strong features had a noticeable frown, and he looked as if he was thinking hard about something. 

Tina was trying to come up with something to say but the man suddenly spoke up. “Miss Popertina Goldstein, right?” he asked curiously. She merely nodded in confirmation and waited for him to continue. “I’m so glad to finally meet you!” he added happily, his frown turning into a bright grin before extending his right hand in front of him. Tina reluctantly shook his hand, with a confused expression on her face. The man must’ve seen it because he immediately said. “I apologize for my manners Miss Goldstein. You must be wondering who I am” he made a short pause before saying,”I’m Theseus Scamander, Newt’s older brother.”

Tina looked at him in shock, her right hand finally dropping from his.   _ That’s why he looks so familiar! He looks a lot like Newt! That’s who he reminds me of!  _ “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Scamander” she said politely. Newt had mentioned his brother many times in his letters. She remembered he had talked about his confident, successful and accomplished brother on a few occasions and said he never really understood him.  _ Maybe I was right! Maybe he did come to visit Newt, and that’s why he never showed up!  _ Tina wondered hopefully. 

“The pleasure is mine Miss Goldstein” he said with a soft smile, “I just wish it would have been under better circumstances” the Head Auror added with a melancholic, tired smile. He looked exhausted, and now that she could look better at him, he had prominent dark circles under his eyes.  _ Maybe I should let him sleep? He looks really tired but… I really want to ask him about Newt. _

“Have you had a chance to see your brother Mr. Scamander?” she asked him suddenly but immediately regretted as she saw his features becoming increasingly worried. 

“No, unfortunately they haven’t let me see him yet. Percy says that he’s okay though, even when he spent the night in a holding cell.”  _ A holding cell? What is Newt doing in a holding cell? Is there some kind of bug infestation I don’t know about?  _ Theseus Scamander rubbed his temples in a circular motion, sighing deeply. “Percy tried talking to Travers but he refuses to cancel the arrest warrant. He’s treating Newt as if he was a criminal! I know violating a travel ban is a crime but it’s not like Newt killed someone!” the Head Auror said exasperated.  _ Arrest warrant? Violating a travel ban? Newt a criminal? What is he talking about?  _ “I know he also forged travel documents and got into the country under an assumed identity but that was because the Ministry was being unreasonable! Three times he tried! THREE!” he accentuated this lifting three fingers in the air, in front of him. “And Travers always found a way to deny his request! I know he was desperate to come here to see you and cleared up the whole engagement misunderstanding but he could have at least told me or my parents what he was planning! I would have come myself and …” he stopped when he saw Tina’s confused, wide watery eyes looking at him.

He buried his face in his hands and shook it violently before lifted his head and looking at her pointedly. “I assume you have no idea what I’m talking about, right?” Tina shook her head slowly. Theseus shook his head as he chuckled  lightly with a grimace.  “Oh Newt!” He turned to look at her and added, “Miss Goldstein, I think it would be best if we talk in private. Do you have a few minutes?”

“Yes of course. We can talk in my office.” Tina replied gesturing for him to follow her. They walked quietly through the dark corridor until they reach her small office, entering in before locking the door and casting some Silencing Charms.

 

* * *

Tina walked quietly through the dark corridor that lead her to her final destination. When she finally reached the cold bars from the holding cell, she leaned against them, looking at the sleeping form on the small cot in the corner. Newt Scamander laid uncomfortably in the tiny cot, barely covered by a thin sheet, his body shivering involuntarily from the cold. 

As soon as she had finished her talk with Theseus Scamander she knew he was telling her the truth, yet she had a sudden need to see the magizoologist with her own eyes to deeply believe what had happened to him. 

Newt had been arrested the day before by her fellow aurors. The man she deeply loves had been arrested because he had broken the law in order to see her, to tell her that the magazine made a mistake. Tears welled up in her eyes.  _ Oh Newt! Why did you do this? Why did you risk so much for me? “Because he cares about you too, idiot”  _ a hidden part of her mind told her. Tina knew she shouldn’t be here. She was not authorized after all but she had to see him. She needed to make sure he was alright. MACUSA was almost empty anyway, no one would know. She had given the only guard at the door an old bottle of no-maj whiskey.  _ “ _ This is the good stuff Goldstein! Are you sure you want to give this to me?” he told her when Tina asked him for a few minutes alone with the prisoner. The middle aged man had thanked her by giving her the key to cell. 

Tina looked at Newt for a few more minutes before finally opening the cell and walking towards his sleeping form. She bent down next to him and cover him with the thick wool blanket she brought with herself. His features looked peaceful and his hair fell messily over his eyes. Tina lifted her hand and softly caressed his head, pushing his fringe away from his eyes. She caressed his head for a few more minutes as she observed his peaceful state before leaning down and kissing his forehead gently. Newt stirred contently, a small smile appeared on his tired face. “Sweet dreams Newt” she whispered softly before standing up and walking out of his cell. As she walked away, she could have sworn she heard him whispering her name. 

 

* * *

Tina was standing outside the conference room, trying desperately and to no avail, to listen to what Madam Picquery and Graves were talking about. Before she visited Newt earlier that morning, she told Theseus Scamander that he could rest inside her office until they had any news about Newt’s current case. 

In cases like this, the detainee could usually remain in custody of the arresting country for a long time. Usually as long as it took for the other country to sort out all the pertinent paperwork to authorize an international extradition. A clear example was Gellert Grindelwald. He had been in custody for more than 5 months now and MACUSA and the British Ministry were still sorting out all the details related to his case. MACUSA wanted him to stay in America and serve time for his crimes while England wanted the dark wizard locked away in Azkaban. 

As she kept waiting for any news outside the dark and silent conference room, Tina saw her colleagues starting to arrive at the office. As she greeted her fellow aurors with a polite smile and a short “Good Morning” while  she wondered internally who might have been the one who arrested Newt. 

Finally, Tina gave up and decided to find more productive things to do in order to help Newt. First, she needed to know exactly what had happened and what where the exact charges. Reading Newt’s case file would be a good start. She had seen it on top of Graves’ desk as she returned from the holding cells, so she walked towards her boss’ office making sure nobody was looking at her. The first hour was usually a slow one since everyone went down to the main floor to get coffee, pastries and have their wands polish. 

As she reached the grand office, she looked around carefully and peeked inside. The file remained in the same spot as it had been earlier. Tina walked in and rapidly grabbed the file and immediately started to make her way back to her office. She was almost at her door when she was stopped by Achilles Tolliver. 

“Good morning Tina, I’ve been looking for you!” he said nervously. “Do you have a couple of minutes to go for a cup of coffee? I need to tell you something important.” Whatever it was he wanted to say to her, it truly seemed important but right now Tina didn’t care about anything other than Newt. 

“I’m so sorry Achilles but I’m really busy at the moment. Perhaps I could stop by your office later?” she offered apologetically, with a forced smile. She didn’t want to be rude, but she seriously needed to be left alone so she could read the file before Graves returned to his office.

“Yes, of course. That’s fine” Achilles replied with a tight smile and disappointment in his eyes before walking away from her. Tina didn’t waste more time and walked into her office as fast as she could, trying her best not to wake Theseus. The British man didn’t even move from his resting spot. Tina had transfigurated her two additional chairs into a long sofa to allow Newt’s brother to rest for a few hours. 

She opened the file and started reading in thoroughly. She read all the information Theseus had provided her earlier but now she knew how Newt had done it. He had paid some random wizard to get him fake travel documents so he could at least travel the “muggle” way. The Ministry had put a tracking charm on his wand, hoping to find out where he had gone.  _ Newt must have known they would have done that and that’s why he didn’t want to use magic,  _ Tina thought to herself. Everything that Theseus told her was written in detail in the file, a few inaccurate facts where added, probably by the British Ministry stating that Newt was a spy and that was the reason why he was banned from traveling. She was so concentrated with reading the file that she didn’t notice Theseus waking up.

“I don’t think you are allowed to read that” he told her cheekily. “You could get yourself in so much trouble for that and I don’t think Newt would like that, especially if he thought it was his fault.” 

Tina smiled back in response, “Apparently you do know your brother very well Mr. Scamander.”

Theseus nodded knowingly. He suspected what Newt must’ve told her about him and their relationship. “I know we haven’t always been close but despite what Newt believes, he’s my little brother and I do care about him quite a lot.” Tina looked at him with a little disbelief in her eyes. Sensing her doubtfulness he added, “Miss Goldstein, I care about him enough to know that one of his biggest concerns right now are the creatures he brought with him inside his case.” Tina wanted to slap herself. She had totally forgotten about that! “Not to worry, they are very well guarded inside Percy’s office and I will be feeding them in a few minutes, just as I did last night. You’re welcome to join me if you like.” She thanked him before walking together back to Graves’ office, Newt’s file still in her hands and as she watched Theseus Scamander try to feed the niffler, she realized she had been wrong earlier. Newt and his brother could have some physical resemblances but they were completely different from each other. 

Once they were done they remained inside the case for a while more so Tina could finished reviewing the file. So far she hadn’t found anything that they could use to help Newt’s case. She was about to give up and close the file when she saw the arresting report and she couldn’t believe what she read. 

 

 ** _Full Name:_** **_Newton Artemis Fido Scamander_**

 ** _Nationality:_** **_British_**

 ** _Wanted for:_** **_Forging traveling documentation_**

**_Illegally entering the United States_ **

**_Violating travel ban_ **

**_International espionage and treason_ **

**_Arresting Auror :_** **_Achilles Tolliver_**

 

* * *

“Mr. Scamander! Miss Goldstein!” Madame Picquery called out to them as she exited the conference room.  _ Just in time!  _ Tina thought. They had walked out of Graves’ office just a minute before and where in their way to grab something to eat. “I have some good news and some not so good news” the President told them stoically. 

“As we speak, Mr. Graves is arranging an International Portkey. We agree that MACUSA will not be pressing charges against Mr. Scamander and that he is free to go back to London as soon as the portkey is approved. Bad news is… he will remain detained at the Ministry for a few days until this issue is properly solve. I’m sorry Mr. Scamander, we did our best but at least we have the Minister on our side. He will review the evidence himself and free Newt once everything is cleared up.” Theseus thanked her profusely and assured her that he and his family were in debt with her. “I don’t know how we could ever repay you for all your help.” he said gratefully.

“Just make sure your brother stays out of trouble.” she said sternly before walking away. Before entering the elevator she turned towards Tina and said, “Goldstein! Mr. Graves and I agree that you have too much overtime accumulated so as of right now you are officially on leave for the next two weeks.” With that, the president turned on her heel swiftly and walked away.

Tina watched her disappearing form in disbelief. She had actually been considering requesting the time off so she could help the Scamanders in anything they needed. But now that Newt was to go back to London immediately, she might need to get a ticket for the next boat. 

Tina and Theseus met Queenie for lunch and told her everything that had happened during the morning. The blonde witch and Theseus quickly found different topics of conversation and he was surprised to find out she was a legilimens. Queenie had asked him about Leta and their upcoming wedding, which Thesesus was happy to talk about. His eyes lit up everytime he mentioned his fiancée’s name. Tina watched them speak animatedly, as she played with the food on her plate. Even when she knew that Newt will be released soon, she felt a knot on her stomach and she was not really hungry. She was just too worried to eat anything.  _ Worrying means you suffer twice,  _ she could hear Newt’s voice telling her. 

Just before they were finished, Percival Graves approached them and gave Theseus the permits for the International portkey. “This one is for Newt. I will escort him to the Ministry myself and hand this over to Travers. We have a few things to talk about anyway” he said in annoyance. “And this one is for you” he finished, giving the British auror a different piece of parchment “Portkey leaves at 4 p.m. Don’t be late!” 

As Theseus read thoroughly through both parchments while Tina started wondering how was she going to do to make it to London.  _ I could always take the boat but it takes almost a week! _

“Not worry Teenie! I’m sure we will find a way for you to make it to London! Maybe we could ask Mr. Garves for another Portkey?” Queenie suggested kindly after reading her sister’s thoughts. Tina was about to thank her sister for her kind but crazy idea but Theseus said something that surprised both sisters intensely. 

“That won’t be necessary Miss Goldstein” he said passing Tina the second piece of parchment that Graves gave him.

 

 

**_Permission for International Travel via Portkey_ **

 

 _ORIGIN:_   ** _MACUSA Headquarters - Manhattan - New York - United States_**

 ** _DESTINATION:_** **_Ministry of Magic - Whitehall - London - England_**

 ** _DATE & TIME:_** **_April 27th 1927 - 1600hrs_**

 ** _TRAVELER (S):_** **_Theseus Scamander & _** ** _Porpentina Goldstein_**

 

* * *

After lunch, Tina went home and quickly packed enough clothes and toiletries for the next two weeks. As she was about to close her small leather case, she saw her beautiful yellow dress. The yellow dress her darling sister had made especially for her. The dress she would have worn to her date with Newt. She had been looking forward to see Newt’s expression when he saw her in that dress.  _ Would he like it? Would he think I look pretty?  _ She walked towards her dresser and pulled out the dress from its hanger. She caressed the soft fabric and admired it lovingly. She grabbed her wand from her holster and with a soft swift of her wrist, the dress folded itself delicately inside her case. Making sure she had everything she would need, she closed her case and make her way out of the apartment, grabbing a winter raincoat and umbrella on her way out. 

As soon as she walked into MACUSA, she went to say goodbye to Queenie and reminded her she needed to be really careful about sneaking out with Jacob. Their goodbyes and conversation had taken a bit longer than Tina had hoped as she only had 10 minutes to make it to the office where they kept all International Portkey, and if she was honest with herself she wasn’t quite sure how to get there by herself since she had only been there twice before. She returned to the main lobby so she could take the main elevator when she heard Achilles calling for her desperately. “Tina! Tina! Tina wait!”

She turned exasperatedly and said and little harsher than she had intended. “I’m sorry Achilles but I really have no time for this right now. I need to take a Portkey in 8 minutes and I’m not sure how to get there!” 

“It’s just that I have something really important to..”

“What?! You mean to tell that you arrested Newt and you forgot to tell me!” she said agitated as she started walking towards the elevator. She climbed in, with Achilles following behind. “International travel please Red” she told the tiny elf who looked at them curiously. 

“No, that’s not what happened! I tried telling you this morning! I didn’t have a choice Tina! I was ordered to make the arrest since I was the only one who knew where he was hiding” Achilles tried defending himself. 

“And how did the other aurors know that piece of information?” Tina asked sarcastically with her hands on her hips and a raised eyebrow.

“I might have… accidentally told them…” the auror mumbled, ashamed. “I wouldn’t have said anything if I had known!” Tina’s expressions soften a little. He was right how could Achilles know. It was an honest mistake, and he meant no harm. She was about to tell him it was alright, but suddenly he said something that made her even more mad, “Besides I wouldn’t have had to arrest him if Mr. Scamander hadn’t broken the law! It’s not my fault that you’re  friends with a criminal!” he finished as the elevator doors opened announcing their arrival. The rational part of her brain knew Achilles hadn’t mean the last part. He was probably just peeved but still that didn’t give him the right to talk about Newt like that. Not even if he was jealous of him. 

“Listen to me Achilles Tolliver! Newt is not and has never been a criminal! And if you want to remain friends with me, you would do good in remembering that! Have a good day Mr. Tolliver!” Tina said as she exited the elevator. 

With only two minutes to spare, Tina made it to the room where the Portkey where Graves and the Scamander brothers were already waiting there. Newt with his hands cuffed behind his back. “Newt!” Tina said giving him a short effusive hug before releasing him quickly, both their cheeks a deep shade of pink. “Are you okay? Did you get anything to eat? Did you sleep okay?”

“I did quite shockingly. I was a bit cold at the beginning I was given an additional blanket and Theseus bought me a turkey sandwich” Newt replied calmly. “Mmm also… I want to thank you for coming with me back to London. You didn’t have to and ..”

“It doesn’t matter now. We can talk about later since we’ll a lot of time to spare.” Tina said hopefully. Just then, the immigration officer announced it was time for the first passengers to leave. “Just put your feet inside that box.”

Just before he vanished, Newt smiled at her sadly and said, “I’m so sorry for last night Tina”

A small tear slid down from the corner of her eye but she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. “Next and last passengers leaving in one minute!” the immagration officer announced loudly. Tina and Theseus quickly walked towards an old jewelry box and put their right hands on top of it, while holding their cases in the left. Suddenly, Tina started feeling a sharp pain in her temple and the floor felt as it was trembling. “Miss Goldstein are you alright?” Theseus asked her before they were wrapped in a spiral of movement and space that felt worse than apparating. 

Tina felt as if the world spin around her violently as they made their way into a fancy decorated room. A perky young witch greeted them from behind a podium. “Welcome to the British Ministry of Magic Mr. Scamander, Miss Goldstein!” Tina heard her saying something else and Theseus replying to her. Tina could also listen to Garves voice talking calmly with another man. Everything was blurry and she felt as if the ground below her was shaking, her eyes started closing and she felt herself falling to the ground as she heard Newt’s frantic voice calling her name.

 

* * *

Tina's yellow dress:

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can follow me on Twitter: @bea_goldstein  
> Tumblr: beagoldtsein


	16. Welcome to London

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina's first day in London. Will she get the chance to see Newt? Or will she meet a completely different Scamander?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the LONG delayed but life has been quite hectic lately.  
> But don't worry I will definitely finished this story. I've outlined it until the very end so I only need to find enough time to finish it.
> 
> Thank so much to my beta Too_Much_Fandom for all her help with this chapter. 
> 
> I hope you like this story and please let me know what you think bout it.
> 
> Happy Sunday!

_Wednesday, April 27, 1927 - London, England 10:30 p.m._

 

Tina stirred restlessly under the heavy covers. She had been having a wonderful dream where she was about to marry the love of her life, Newt Scamander. She walked down the aisle escorted by Dougal who had allowed Newt to put a tiny bow tie around his neck and a fancy black hat on top of his little head. Newt smiled brightly at her as she made her way towards him, their eyes only looking at each other. When she reached her husband to be, the ceremony began, mixing Jewish and magical traditions. Vows were exchanged, their eyes never looking away from each other

Just as the Ministry’s official pronounced them husband and wife and instructed them to kiss to seal the marriage, they were interrupted by British aurors. Aurors accusing Newt of ultimate treason and sentencing him to life in Azkaban. Tina watched shattered and hopeless as the men dragged her husband away, as he screamed desperately her name. With heavy tears welling in her eyes, Tina run after him begging the aurors to wait a few minutes so they could properly say goodbye to each other and as she was about to reach them she saw in horror how they disapparated with her husband. 

Tina open her eyes startled with an irregular heartbeat and anxious breathing. _It was just a dream!_ She thought to herself, taking a deep breath. She was about to close her eyes and go back to sleep when she realized the unfamiliar room she was in. The young witch sit up, letting the covers fall on her lap revealing a feminine lilac nightgown. _This is definitely not mine!_ With every passing second, the young auror started panicking, wondering where she was and why was she wearing a nightgown she hadn’t ever seen before. She was about to jump out of bed and start looking for a way out when a soft knock on the door surprised her. She doubted for a second, looking around the room for something to defend her herself but the darkness of the room didn’t let her search properly. With no other choice she whispered softly “Come in” bracing herself for what was to come. What Tina didn’t expect was a middle aged woman, with a kind smile and familiar features walking inside the room. The woman’s smile grew bigger as she realized Tina was awake.

“Good evening Porpentina, I hope you’re feeling better? You give my poor Newtie quite a fright!” the woman said kindly. _Newtie? Does that mean that she knows Newt...Newt!_ She suddenly remembered the most recent events, but she still didn’t know how she had gotten to this place. _Where am I anyway? And who is this nice lady? Now that I think of it… she looks a bit like Newt…_ Tina was about to ask those questions out loud when suddenly the woman spoke again. “Oh dear I’m so sorry! How rude of me! You must be wondering who I am and what are you doing here,” she said with her fancy British accent and as she spoke, she walked towards the desk and dragged the chair towards the bed to sit next to her. “I’m Helena Scamander, Newt’s mother,” she said before adding “and this is our family home. Theseus brought you here after you arrived from America since you were not feeling very well.”

As Newt’s mother's words sank in, Tina started remembering taking the portkey and feeling very dizzy as soon as they arrived at the Ministry, she remembered feeling everything spinning before blacking out. _Oh no! Please don’t tell me I fainted from the portkey!_ She thought embarrassed. It looked like Helena knew what she was thinking because she put her hand on top of hers and told her in a motherly voice, “Don’t feel ashamed dear! It happens to everyone once in a while. Those things are very useful but also really dreadful. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how many times I’ve gotten ill because of them.” Tina looked at the older woman straight in the eyes and saw not only kindness but also nothing but honesty. She smiled shyly at Mrs. Scamander who smiled back at her before putting a big cup with steaming hot cocoa on top of the nightstand. 

“Newtie told Theseus that you might like a cup of hot cocoa if you awake tonight. I hope it tastes okay” Helena Scamander said in a motherly way. With her hand still on top of hers, the British woman gave her a light squeeze before adding. “Well dear, I’ll leave you so you can rest.”

Helena started walking towards the door when she was stopped by Tina’s soft voice, “Mrs. Scamander?” The older witch turned and looked at her with a kind smile waiting for her to talk, “Do you know anything about Newt? Is he okay?” Tina asked with deep concern in her voice, as she drank her hot cocoa.

“Theseus is at the Ministry making sure Newt has everything he needs to spend the night as comfortable as possible. Tomorrow we will go to the Ministry to speak with Hector about this whole misunderstanding. That horrible Travers has an agenda against my boy and I won’t allow him to use Newt for his political pursuits.” Helena said sternly, followed by a tiny smile. Tina nodded her head and whispered a soft _“thank you”_. The older woman wished her a good night before leaving the room. 

Tina finished her hot cocoa and put the cup back on the nightstand before she laid back against the soft pillows. Suddenly, she was surrounded by a familiar smell, it smelled like  wood, earth and mint. She smiled shyly as soon as she recognized the familiar and comforting smell. _It smells like Newt! This must be his room!_ Tina thought to herself as she closed her eyes and dozed off to sleep.

* * *

_London, England - Thursday, April 28, 1927_

 

Tina woke up quite early the following morning. She walked towards a window and opened the curtains slightly, letting a little light come into the room. She was greeted by a vast green landscape and  a drizzling grey sky. For the first time in weeks, she felt well rested and couldn’t remember dreaming about anything during the night which led her to think that Newt’s mother might have put some Dreamless Draught in her hot cocoa. She looked around the room quickly and spotted her suitcase next to a big dresser. She quietly walked towards it and put it on top of a case rack nearby before opening it. 

Tina stared at the contents of her case for a few minutes, trying to think what she should wear. She was not the kind of girl to overthink her outfits but she was certain she would be meeting Newt’s family shortly and for some reason wanted to cause a good impression on them. She wanted them to like her. She had briefly talked to Mrs. Scamander the previous night but she still had to meet the Scamander patriarch and from Newt’s letters, she could tell he was a traditional and elegant man. After debating it for a few minutes, she finally settled for a nice dark grey long skirt and long sleeve deep blue blouse. _How I wished I could take a nice warm bath!_ Tina thought to herself as she closed her case and started pulling the pretty lilac nightgown up when suddenly a soft knock on the door startled her. 

Intrigued, she re-adjusted her nightgown and walked towards the door. As soon as she opened it, she was greeted by a fashionably dressed house-elf wearing a dark green dress-robe. “Good morning Miss Goldstein!” she greeted quietly but enthusiastically, “I’m here to help you with your bath” she added as she walked inside the room and silently disappeared behind a door Tina hadn’t noticed before. After a couple of minutes, the tiny elf emerged from behind the door and smiled at her. “Your bath is ready Miss” she told Tina before walking quietly out of the room, giving Tina enough time to whisper a shy thank you.

Tina entered the large bathroom and looked around admiring the simple but elegant room. It was quite a bit bigger than their bathroom back in New York and elegantly decorated. A matching lilac robe was hanging from a hook close to the bathtub and a few puffy white towels were folded neatly on top of a shelf next to the sink. Tina dipped her hand inside the soapy water and was surprised by the nice smell of roses and warm temperature of the water. She quickly took the nightgown off and submerged herself inside the tube. 

After a long, nice and relaxing bath, Tina dried herself with one of the puffy white towels and used a hot air charm to dry and fix her hair before changing into the clothes she had chosen earlier. As soon as he walked inside the room she was met by the same house-elf who was finishing tidying up the room. The tiny creature turned around to look at her with a kind smile and said “Did you enjoy your bath Miss? Lady Helena thought you might like one after the terrible day you had yesterday.”

Tina’s previous experience with house elves had been with those who worked at MACUSA, and who were usually male elves, cranky males. Tina smiled brightly at her and said softly, “Yes I did! Thank you very much… mmm.. I’m sorry but I don’t know your name.”

“My name is Winnifred but everyone calls me Winnie” she replied followed by a short courtesy. Tina offered her hand to shake and asked her to call her by her name. After informing Tina that breakfast was usually served at 7:30 a.m., Winnie offered to show her the gardens. “I would offer a tour around the manor Miss Tina, but it’s still a little early and probably Lord and Lady Scamander are still resting” she said apologetically. As they walked around the grounds, Winnie pointed out to her where Mrs. Scamander kept her griffs and shared some stories from Newt’s childhood. Tina learned that Winnie’s family had served the Scamanders as free elves for many generations and that it had been Newt the one who gave her that short nickname. After a while, Winnie excused herself as she had to help with preparations for breakfast. Before walking back to the house, Winnie snapped her fingers and a book came flying from inside the house straight to Tina’s hands. She looked at it and realized it was Newt’s book, the one she had bought in New York and brought with her inside her case. It was followed by a thick wool blanket that wrapped itself around her shoulders. Tina thanked her with a shy smile and sat on the grass, leaning back against a tall tree. 

The young auror lost herself in Newt’s words, she could almost hear his soft voice reading the book out loud to her and feel his strong arms surrounding her protectively. After what felt like hours, Tina heard someone walking her way and was surprised to see Mrs. Scamander walking towards her. She had an elegant ruby dress and her features were highlighted by a soft make-up. Tina stood up and took a few steps to meet her half way. 

“Good morning Porpentina!” the older witch greeted her with a kind smile.”We are about to serve breakfast and we would love for you to join us.” Tina thanked her and happily accepted her invitation. The two women walked back to the house while maintaining a polite conversation. As they walked across the main foyer and long corridors, Tina realized that Newt’s family was from old money. All the furniture looked quite elegant and vintage, and many moving portraits of different wizards and witches hung from the walls. “Scamander Manor has been in our family for many centuries,” Helena told her as they reached the main dining room. 

The main dining room was a magnificent, a large dark wooden table in the middle of the room with many matching chairs all around and a beautiful crystal chandelier hanging above it. The table could easily sit 20 people and there was plenty of room to magically enlarge it if needed. Three house elves were walking around levitating dishes and placing them on top of the table. 

As the last plate was set on the table, Theseus Scamander walked inside the room accompanied by an older man. “Dear!” the older man said, “look who decided to join us for breakfast!”

“Thessie!” Helena greeted happily while walking towards her son to hug him. “I thought we were going to meet you at the Ministry later.” 

“Mother!” Theseus exclaimed slightly embarrassed by the loving nickname his mother had used  “We have guests!” he added looking at Tina and smiling at her. “Good morning Miss Goldstein! I hope you are feeling better this morning.” 

With the three Scamanders looking at her she felt quite shy and out of place, especially with the older man looking straight at her. She shyly greeted Theseus and thanked him for his concern. Helena Scamander looked between her husband’s confused face and the young woman and realized Tina hadn’t met her husband yet. “Dear have you met Porpentina?” she told her husband sweetly. 

At the mention of her name, Tina walked forward towards the Scamander family and as soon as she reached them she stopped directly in front of Newt’s father and awkwardly performed a small curtsey in greeting. Mr. Scamander studied her for a short second, his mouth on tight, thin line before changing into a small smile. Then he did something that shocked her, he took her right hand and like an English gentleman kissed it softly before smiling at her. “Perseus Scamander, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you Porpentina. We’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about you from Newton,” he said with his dashing English accent. Tina smiled back at him shyly before adding. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too Mr. Scamander.” He smiled back at her before escorting the small group to the long and elegant dining room table where he sat at the head, with his wife to his left and Thesesus to his right, leaving Tina in the only available set place right next to Mrs. Scamander. 

The foursome started having breakfast together, with Mr. Scamander and Theseus discussing a booking the younger wizard had lent from his father. Tina hadn’t noticed how hungry she actually was until after she started eating the delicious eggs and bacon in front of her. She was so distracted enjoying her breakfast that she didn’t hear Mr. Scamander talking to her. She put her fork down and looked at the older wizard slightly embarrassed. “Oh… I’m sorry sir. I didn’t ...mmhh… what were you saying?”

Perseus gave her a tiny smile and told her kindly. “That’s quite alright. I guess you must be really hungry from the trip. Traveling by portkey can be a dreadful experience if you ask me.” Everyone around the table quickly agreed with that statement. “I was just asking about what you do back in America. Newton mentioned you lived in New York and worked as an Auror for MACUSA?” he asked her curiously. 

“Yes Mr. Scamander, I work as an Auror for MACUSA at the New York headquarters.” Tina replied shyly. 

“That’s quite impressive Porpentina! Your parents must be really proud of your accomplishments.” Mr. Scamander told her politely, but was quite confused by the sudden sadness in her young features. His wife also noticed this and quite concerned by it asked her, “Is everything alright dear? Did you not like your breakfast?”

Realizing that they must not know about her parents and how her attitude could be interpreted as rude by some people she replied thankfully, “No Mrs. Scamander, breakfast is delicious. Thank you so much for your kindness. It just that… mm” she didn’t know how to tell them that the comment about her parents had startled her. “I don’t know if my parents are proud of me, I hope they are but…..” she could see the Scamanders looking at her expectantly, “My parents passed away many years ago, before I went to Ilvermorney,” she added uncomfortably, looking down at her plate. For some reason she didn’t like letting people know about that part of her life as she always got those pitying looks that made her uncomfortable. _But these are not real strangers! They are Newt’s family and they are being so kind to you! You can’t react like this in front of them or they’ll think you are rude!_ Taking a deep breath and as she was about to look up again she felt a soft hand on top of hers. 

Tina looked up and saw Mrs. Scamander looking kindly at her, a lovely smile on her face. She looked around the table briefly and was surprised by what she saw. She had been bracing herself for the pitying looks but she saw none of them. Instead she saw kind and caring smiles and honest eyes looking at her. She turned back to Mrs. Scamander who told her in her most motherly voice, “It must have been really hard to grow up without your parents but I can assure you that they both are quite proud of the remarkable young lady you’ve grown to be.”

Tina looked at her with watery eyes and smiled brightly at her, “Thank you Mrs. Scamander. I really hope you are right.” 

“I’m certain of that dear and please call me Helena.”

After that heavy exchange, the conversation flowed easily. Mr. Scamander told them a few funny stories about his earlier days at the Ministry when he was a young “lad”. Tina suspected his wife and son had heard those stories before but were just pretending to lighten the mood. As the minutes passed, Tina started getting more comfortable and relaxed around Newt’s family but she couldn't help but worry about him. _Did he spent the night okay? Did he eat breakfast already? Would he be coming home tonight?_

“Excuse me Mr. Scamander?” Tina said looking straight at Theseus. “I was wondering if you have news about Newt?” Theseus looked at her with a small, almost cheeky smile. “Yes I do. I stopped by the Ministry before coming here and the auror guarding him told me he was still sleeping. Also I ran into Maureen and she might have told me that Minister Fawley will be available all morning for any “surprise” visits.”

“That’s wonderful news son” Mr. Scamander said excitedly. “Let’s see what Travers has to say once I have a talk with his boss.” 

“Darling we should leave soon if we wish to catch him before someone briefs him about Newt’s case,” Mrs. Scamander told her husband seriously. “Popertina, would you like to join us?” Tina nodded quietly and thanked the older lady before excusing herself to go get ready. 

As his parents were about to leave the dining room, Theseus added teasingly. “Apparently my little brother had a hard time falling asleep last night and had a restless night. Nightmares if I was told correctly.” Mr. Scamander smiled brightly at this information which irritated his wife who decided to hit him in the arm. 

“How can you two be mocking my poor boy. Only god knows the awful conditions of those cells. No wonder he can’t sleep.” Mrs. Scamander said sternly as they walked towards the stairs. 

“Mother, Newt has slept in the middle of muddy forests in the past and has never had an issue falling asleep. His problem was that he was preoccupied with something or should I say “someone” else.” Theseus added teasingly, as he escorted his parents up the stairs “The fact that he kept whispering her name in his sleep is enough to understand why he was unable to fall asleep last night.” Mrs. Scamander smiled knowingly at her older son before disappearing behind her bedroom door. 

* * *

Tina could hear the muffled voices behind the grand oak door. She and Theseus were sitting outside Minister Fawley’s office waiting for the Scamanders before going to see Newt. Tina had wanted to go see him as soon as they arrived but they were told Travers had forbidden all visits, including his family. If she thought Mrs. Scamander was upset before she was sure she had upgraded to enraged. 

“I can’t recall ever seeing mother as upset as she was earlier. There was one time when Newt and I were little. We were flying around the house and we bumped into the crystal chandelier.” Theseus said with a tiny smile, reminiscing about the time he and his little brother used to play together. “It fell down to the ground and smashed into a million pieces. It had been in our family for almost 200 years. Mother was furious! We were grounded for a very long time. Lucky for us, they found an old lady who was able to fix it.” he added chuckling. “But even then, I don’t think she was as upset as she was today!”

Tina smiled back at him.”She can be quite intimidating even more than your father. I feel bad for that poor boy. It really wasn’t his fault that we couldn’t visit Newt. But the look your mother gave him…” Tina said with a tiny chuckle. They both remained silent for a few minutes, just listening to the voices coming from behind the door and how loud they become with each passing minute. 

“Mr. Scamander..?” Tina started but was quickly cut in by the British auror.

“Theseus!” he said politely. “Please call me Thesues. Mr. Scamander makes me feel like my father.” he added chuckling lightly. 

“Theseus,” Tina continue with a tiny smile. “I would like to thank you for helping me get the portkey to London and for allowing me to be here with your family, especially since I’m the reason why Newt is incarcerated,” she added with a small blush on her cheeks and looking at her feet.

“Miss Goldstein it’s my pleasure to help my brother’s dear friend and be sure that my parents are delighted to host you at the Manor. Especially Mother who’s been dying to meet you for weeks.” Tina looked up startled. _Newt spoke about me to his mother?_ She suddenly remembered what Newt’s father had said over breakfast. _Newt spoke with his parents about me. What did he tell them?_ “And I can assure you Miss Goldstein, that no one blames you for Newton’s current predicament. He’s the only one to blame for his actions.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures Theo,” a deep voice said from behind them. Both aurors turned startled and were met by a flawlessly dressed Percival Graves. “Even if the young Mr. Scamander’s actions were…. gormless… let’s just say that I find acceptable reason within them.”

“Percy! I thought you would be back in America by now. Did the portkey malfunction?” Theseus asked concerned in his inquisitive auror tone. 

“New orders,” Graves replied nonchalantly. “I was asked to stay and testify in Mr. Scamander’s trial. From what I heard Travers wants to have it as soon as possible. If it were up to him, your brother would have been transferred to Azkaban as soon as he arrived in London.”

“Do you know when the trial will be Mr. Graves?” Tina asked her boss promptly. She wondered how long Newt would need to spend locked in the Ministry’s cells. Her mind took her back to last December, when Newt, Jacob and her had been incarcerated in MACUSA’s dungeon. The cells back in New York were quite cold and uncomfortable. She could only guess the ones here in London were the same or even worse.

“I believe Travers is trying to convince the Wizengamot to have it next Monday. He believes leaving Mr. Scamaner in the cells for a whole weekend will give him time to reflect and _cooperate_ but nothing is set yet,” Graves replied flatly. It was moments like this when Tina wished she also had Queenie’s ability. She wanted to know what he was thinking right now. _What does he think about Newt? Does he also think he is a criminal? Maybe he does, just like Achilles did._ Tina thought sadly. Percival Graves was a well respected auror and she was sure whatever he said to the British authorities would influence Newt’s case largely. 

Before she could reply, the Scamanders exited Minister Fawley’s office. “Thank you for your time Hector,” Mr. Scamander said shaking his hand, his wife standing next to him. A faint scowl on her elegant features. 

“I’m sorry I was not able to help further Perseus but I will send some owls and try to push young Newton’s trial for this afternoon,” the Minister replied politely. He turned to Mrs. Scamander and slightly bowed his head as a goodbye before looking at Graves. “Mr. Graves I believe we have some important issues to discuss,” Tina watched as Graves excused himself and followed the Minister inside his office. 

“I believe he's here to talk about Grindelwald,” Theseus whispered lowly. “It’s been over four months since he was captured and everyone in Europe is demanding to see him pay for his crimes here,”  he finished as the Scamanders reached them.

“Well that was a complete waste of our time,” Mrs. Scamancer said exasperated. 

“Darling you heard what he said. The Minister sympathizes with Newt’s case but It looks like the trial needs to happen regardless,” Mr. Scamander said trying to appease his wife.

“Perseus we wasted almost an hour talking with him when we could have spent that time visiting Newtie. My poor boy! Only Parcelsus knows the awful conditions he must be enduring right now.”

“Mother, Father is right!” Theseus intervened. “It was a good idea to talk to him and see what his point of view was.”

Helena Scamander looked between her son and husband with an annoyed expression before exhaling deeply in defeat. “Let’s just go see Newtie,” she said walking towards the main elevators. 

* * *

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE HIM! HE’S MY SON!” Mrs. Scamander shrieked sternly at the young wizard guarding the entrance of the cells. Her authoritative, yet polite tone made even Tina shiver a little. 

“I’m so sorry ma'am but Mr. Travers said the prisoner was not allowed to receive visitors,” the wizard replied apologetically, clearly intimidated. “It’s the protocol with most wanted criminals awaiting trial. You need to submit a request…” he continued but was interrupted  by an owl flying inside the messy office and straight towards his desk. A piece of parchment tied to the bird’s paw. The young man quickly untied the letter and read it carefully several times before turning to look back at the foursome in front of him. “I apologize for the misunderstanding ma’am,” he began. Tina saw a triumphant smile started to appear in Helena’s face.  “It looks like Mr. Scamander’s trial has been scheduled for this afternoon. As such, he is entitled to receive one visitor before his trial.”

Tina watched how the tiny smile morphed into a tight one. She was about to say something else, when Theseus whispered something in her ear. As he spoke, she just shook her head in understanding. She patted her older son’s shoulder lightly before walking back next to her husband. 

The wizard presented the group with a simple parchment stating that the visitor should not, under any circumstances, aid the prisoner to escape. It also contained a list of prohibited articles that needed to be turned in before the visitor could come in. “Could you please sign this before coming in Mrs. Scamander?”

Helena took the parchment and quill, thanking the young wizard. “Actually… “ she said suddenly passing both items to Tina, “Ms. Goldstein will be the one coming in to see Newton.” Tina looked between her hands and the group dumbfounded. She was speechless. 

“That’s very kind Mrs. Scamander but…” Tina tried to say but was interrupted by Theseus. “It’s okay Ms. Goldstein. I’m sure my little brother will be pleased to see with his own eyes that you are okay. He was quite preoccupied last night.”  Tina didn’t know what to say. She looked around the group and saw Newt’s parents smiling encouragingly at her. “I also know you are quite worried about him,” he added with a cheeky smile. Tina looked at him and for a minute, his childish expression reminded her of Queenie. 

After a few short seconds, she finally put the parchment on top of the desk and signed her name. The wizards saved it inside a file, before pulling a golden key from somewhere behind his desk. “This way please Miss,” he said signaling Tina towards a large, dark wooden door. He put the key inside the lock and flicked his wand around, reciting a short spell. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a long, dark corridor. Tina followed the wizard towards the corridor and just before the doors could close behind them, she turned and looked at Helena. “Thank you Mrs. Scamander,” she said with a shy smile just as the door shut in her face. 

* * *

Newt was walking around his cell in circles, his clothes now completely disheveled after sleeping in them for the past two days. He was worried about his creatures, worried about his parents, but most importantly, he was truly worried about Tina. When he saw her lying on the ground after her portkey arrived, he felt like if someone had punched him in the gut. He had been unable to sleep the night before. Every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was Tina lying unconscious on the floor. The night guard, a man who had attended Hogwarts with him, was kind enough to tell him that a healer had examined Tina and determined she had fainted due to exhaustion from the portkey. _I need to get out of here! I need to see my creatures and mother and I need to see Tina!_

A harsh noise interrupted his thoughts. He saw one of the guards escorting a tall, lean figure down the large, dark corridor. As they approached slowly, Newt noticed the tall figure was a woman from the wave of her dark dress, and her dark shoulder length hair. _Great! More Ministry bureaucrats!_ Newt thought. “Scamander! You have a visitor!” the guard announced loudly. Just as he moved to the side Newt realized who the woman accompanying him was.

“Tina!” he said walking towards the cold bars. 

“Hi Newt!” Tina replied shyly as she finally reached the bars of his cell. Now that she was so close, Newt could see that she was blushing, turning her cheeks a faint pink color. He also realized that it was not a dress what he saw earlier. It was a beautiful silk blue blouse and dark greyish long skirt. _She’s so beautiful!_ Newt thought. Suddenly, he remembered what had happened the night before.

“Tina! Are you okay? What happened yesterday?” Newt asked her concerned. He could still remember the despair he had felt the day before when Tina had fainted and he was being dragged away by two aurors. 

Tina chuckled lightly. “That’s really funny. I was about to ask the same thing,” she looked down for a moment and when she looked up again she saw that Newt’s eyes were full of concern. _Even though he’s the one who spent the past two days in a cell he’s still about concerned about me._ Tina smiled at him before saying, “I’m okay Newt, you don’t need to worry. It was just exhaustion from the very long day and the portkey.” 

Newt sighted relief. _So Colin was right! She’s okay,_ he thought smiling at her. As he did so, Tina saw the dark circles and bags under the magizoologist eyes. Her beautiful dark eyes, suddenly filled with concern. “Newt are you okay? Are you comfortable here?”

“I’m alright, it’s just that I couldn’t sleep last night. I was really worried about you Tina,” Newt told her honestly. He felt like a hypocrite right now. _My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice…_ He couldn’t remember how many times he had repeated those words but only now realized that when it came to Tina, his life philosophy wasn’t really valid at all. 

Tina wanted to say so many things. Apologize for her behaviour, which had pushed him to break the law and be arrested. _If only I had listened to Queenie! If I’d been honest from the beginning we could have prevented this._

“Tina…” Newt said interrupting her thoughts. “I want to explain to you what happened. Not everything is as it seems. I…”

“It’s okay Newt. You have nothing to explain” Tina replied sweetly. “I know what happened and that those horrible things Torquil Travers says about you are not true, and so will everyone after your trial. Which reminds me… your trial will be this afternoon, so hopefully all this will be over soon.” she added, hopeful. She truly hoped that the Wizengamot would see what a wonderful man Newt truly is and that those dreadful accusations were preposterous.

Newt felt scared. Scared that he would be found guilty, but he felt more scared about never seeing Tina again. _If I’m sent to Azkaban, I will never see her again. She will go back to America and she will probably marry some other man and…_ Newt’s terrified thoughts were stopped by a soft brush against his cheek. He realized it was Tina, who was smiling at him reassuringly. 

“Everything will be alright Newt. Just remember: _worrying means you suffer..”_

“...twice” Newt finished for her. “Will...will you be there? At the trial I mean? Newt asked stuttering. 

“Of course I will. And so will your family Newt. I actually came with them but you were only allowed one visitor and they were kind enough to let me come see you.” Newt was surprised by this, and it was then that he realized that he didn’t even know were she was staying. He was about to ask, but the guard came and told them they were running out of time. 

“I guess I’ll see you later,” Tina said sadly, squeezing his hand. Newt nodded his head, squeezing her hand back. He wished he could hug her but the bars between them prevented him from doing so. _I can always hug her later. Once I’ve been declared innocent. I just have to tell them everything… well almost everything._

They both had so many things to say, but this was not the time nor place for that conversation. They could wait until Newt was set free later that day. It was that hope that would help them go through the day.

The guard came back to escort Tina outside. They smiled at each other shyly before Tina started walking down the corridor. After a few steps, she suddenly turned to look at Newt for a short moment before adding, “Please Newt be safe.”

As he saw her walking beside the guard Newt understood the deep meaning behind her last words. It was not a last goodbye. It was a pleading. She was pleading him to fight hard to be free, to do whatever it took to avoid being sent to Azkaban. Porpentina Goldstein was begging him to fight for his future. And maybe even for their future? A future where they could be together. 

And Newt Scamander was going to do everything in his power to keep his promise to the woman he loves. 


End file.
